My rebuttle to HotdogCinema's Hatchet Review.

Now let me start out by saying just a few things. First thing that comes to mind is my need to say that this in no way a slight to Hotdog Cinema. They have an awesome site over there which I strongly urge all my readers to visit. They, along with my good friends over at Bloody Disgusting have probably the best 2 horror sites on the net. Secondly, this isn't really about Hatchet, but rather a serious (albeit friendly) disagreement over whether not not the Slasher horror genre is "done and dusted" and if the movie has "done a disservice" to the genre itself. So lets get on with it shall we?

Let me state that I (at the ripe old age of 25), was introduced to horror movies BY the slasher genre, and it has been my "home" in horror since. The very first horror movie I was ever allowed to see was NOES 3: Dream Warriors the very first Halloween I was ever allowed to trick or treat by myself (I was 8).  The very first "scary thing" I was ever allowed to see was "The Halloween That Almost Wasn't" or "The Night Dracula Saved The World" for those who bought the VHS. 

So lets start out with good ol' Victory Crowley and his Hatchet. Has he done his fellow slashers wrong? Hmmm, that could made into a country song!lol  Anyways, no. After a long, long, LONG tireless parade of remakes of old slasher and other classic horror movies, and the tired continuation of the Scream franchise (Quite possibly Wes Craven's worst films ever), Hatchet comes along and revitalized the horror scene. The first thing that comes to mind about the movie, is the fact its not like other slasher movies. Its not NOES, its not Friday The 13, Its not Halloween, it's it's own "Monster". Sure it might feel that way, but really, think about it? What can you really do in a slasher film (That hasn't been done already or at all)? It finally said to Hollywood that original ideas, can and will sell and make money. If anything, for that reason alone its helped a multitude of different movies see the light of day that normally wouldn't have (Frozen, The Piranha series, Rec, The Lady In Black, The Woman,  The Rite, Insidious). He/She also included that it breaks many typical stereotypes and hallmarks of the genre (I'll itemize these). Well, that in of it self is refreshing, especially in a time when most, less sophisticated movie goers can't watch a movie for more than an hour and a half. First real problem they site is that they have the killer appear too early in the movie. Well, I assume you must have hated that Dracula appears no less then 1:20 in to Dracula (Lugosi driving the carriage), and when Mike Myers pops out from behind the bushes while Laurie Strode walks home (About 3 minutes in). This is done stylistically for a reason. Its so that the tension builds faster when you know their there and what the protagonist is up against, when they don't. It also helps to lend some level of sympathy to the character. They also write that there's nothing there to build suspense. Welcome to the 21st century. You must again hate anything after Friday Part 2 and NOES 2. Suspense isn't needed for the slasher genre, that's for the thrillers of the world. If you can incorporate it then great, but its not needed, and I agree it is somewhat lacking in that department. The next complaint is the 'wooden" acting. Show me a horror movie where there isn't any wooden acting/actors/actresses. Its horror. Its almost understood that's gonna occur, and especially in slashers where its more about gore and jump scares. Budget also applies here. Last complaint, is actually the look of Victor Crowley. Lets just say, I'd like to see you say what you did in the article to Jason or Leatherface!lol Think they'd take exception. 

"Slasher aficionados looking for a new nostalgia may end up feeling circumvented. This one did." Really? Your statements aren't really helping that statement, and making me question it aswell. Also don't think circumvented is the word you wanted right there. 

So IS the Slasher genre dead as Walt Disney is frozen? No, and it never will be. The sad thing is that there are many more quality Slashers being made, that we'll never get to see due to studio stigmas and budgetary limits. The only thing right now that's really hurting the genre (I'll admit its like any opponent that ever lost to John Cena), is that we have people, making the movies, who have no business being near them. We have people like Form, Fuller and Nispel making these movies (that are atrocious), while being paid millions, when they're not even fans, and people like Rooney Mara, who admittedly tanked their performance. They belong nowhere near the genre while people like John Carl Buechler, George Romero, Sean Cunningham and Tom McLoughlin are relegated to low budget, DTV (Direct To Video) clunkers cause studios won't give them the time of day. There is a whole generation of people who grew up on these movies, and became film makers because of them. Lets let them handle the movies, not failed music video directors and talent less waifs. 

Link to HotdogCinema: http://hotdogcinema.wordpress.com/