Hatchet

HATCHET (2006) - Feb. 22, 2010
Boy, what a let-down!  Jeez.  The first film from Adam Green, the director of the far, far, far, far (far far far far) superior Frozen, this was a surprisingly mediocre film about a tour group who wind up getting stalked by a hulking maniac in the swamps of New Orleans.  Visually bland almost to the extreme, I don't think there was a single aspect of this film that didn't feel ultra-low rent (other than the over-the-top gore effects, which is clearly where most of the budget went).  This was a horror "comedy," though the jokes were uniformly lame.  There was no tension or suspense whatsoever (not that they even seemed to be going for that).  Oh man.  The visuals were just so bland, I can't believe it.  Especially after Frozen.  It was like TV movie visuals.  I was so sure it was shot digitally, just because of how flat and low-rent the cinematography was -- I was stunned to see in the credits that it was actually shot on 35mm film.  It just goes to show you that shooting on film isn't some sort of magic solution to make your movie look good, you still need some talent behind the camera (which Green seemed to have in spades based on Frozen, but which is now seriously in doubt).  I have no idea how this has become a cult hit.  I can only assume the over-the-top (and admittedly impressive) gore had a lot to do with it, because this is otherwise an exceptionally mediocre film.  *1/2