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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 2.0
    38

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Generally unfavorable reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 0

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    A contemptible film: Vile, ugly and brutal. There is not a shred of a reason to see it.

    Read Full Review

  • 30

    out of 100

    Variety Scott Foundas

    Initially promising, but quickly disappointing.

    Read Full Review

  • 30

    out of 100

    The New York Times Dave Kehr

    Rather than exhilaration, this bilious film offers only entrapment and despair. It's about as much fun as sitting in on an autopsy.

    Read Full Review

  • 40

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Manohla Dargis

    There's nothing wrong with remakes, but as this movie amply proves, there's often nothing right about them, either

    Read Full Review

  • 50

    out of 100

    USA Today Mike Clark

    The new version has a few jolts, some occasionally effective smoke-and-mirrors photography and a lead (7th Heaven's Jessica Biel) who could teach a grad course on walking provocatively in blue jeans.

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  • 58

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

    The gruesomely unnecessary remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is such a smorgasbord of slimy grunge that to call the movie gross wouldn't do it justice -- it's downright sticky.

    Read Full Review

  • 60

    out of 100

    The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen

    This particular reconceptualization actually does an impressive job of capturing the nasty dread of the original. It certainly is a vast improvement over those previous remakes/sequels.

    Read Full Review

  • 63

    out of 100

    ReelViews James Berardinelli

    The film delivers with enough consistency to warrant a qualified recommendation for those seeking a few extra scares at this time of the year.

    Read Full Review

  • 75

    out of 100

    Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

    Has no pretensions about sneaking up on you -- it simply charges, motor humming and blades flying, carving the spot where masochism and entertainment meet.

    Read Full Review

  • See all The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

not for kids

Hard to do worse than this extremely gory mess.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie is not recommended for anyone under 17. Yes, kids love to be scared, but the violence here is so disturbingly realistic that it's too much for most older kids (and some adults) to handle. The various murders are definitely graphic (we get to see the flesh rip and the organs exposed) but the suicide scene is so disturbing that several people walked out of the theater immediately afterwards. Violence aside, there's still no reason to see this movie--the story doesn't make much sense, the acting is mediocre at best, and even at 98 minutes, it feels way too long. Bottom line: Save your money!

  • Families can talk about the amount and type of violence in this horror film, and some of the more graphic films of today. Do you think it's possible for young people, and even adults, to become desensitized to violence by watching really violent films?

The good stuff
  • message true0

    Messages: Dark, cruel sentiments throughout. Crude and tasteless humor ("I guess that's what brains look like--kind of like lasagna.")

  • rolemodels true0

    Role models: You wouldn't want your kid acting like any of these characters.

What to watch for
  • violence false5

    Violence: This is a very bloody and gory movie. There's an extremely graphic suicide scene, characters are hung from meat hooks (and then tortured), sliced, ripped, cut, shot, murdered in various ways, run over, etc. We see many severed limbs. Stabbings, impalings. The sheriff brags about sexually assaulting female corpses.

  • sex false3

    Sex: Some crude sexual talk. A couple makes out. The camera lingers on a female character's wet tank top and backside.

  • language false5

    Language: Nonstop extreme profanity.

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false5

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: The sheriff drinks and drives. The main characters smuggle and smoke marijuana.

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© Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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