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Deep in the swamps of Louisiana, Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder) dwells with the alligators, wandering around, calling for his daddy, and brutally killing anyone who crosses his path. Born horribly deformed, Victor was teased by the local kids, and the only person who cared for him was his father. On Halloween night, a bunch of teenagers accidentally set fire to the cabin the Crowleys lived in. When his father tried to chop through the door to rescue Victor, he buried the hatchet in Victor’s face, not knowing that his son was standing on the other side of the door. Mr. Crowley (also played by Kane Hodder) became reclusive, and upon his death, Victor’s ghost returns to the swamp cabin every Halloween, stuck in the brutality of his death, confused about where his father has gone, and seeking vengeance.
Ben (Joel David Moore) arrives to New Orleans with his friends, hoping that Mardi Gras—and some non-stop partying—will get his mind off his girlfriend, who broke up with him after eight years together. Ogling boobs and throwing up just isn’t doing it for him, so he decides to go on a haunted swamp tour—much to the dismay of his buddies, who just can’t get enough boobs or beer. Though he’s not particularly happy about it, Marcus (Deon Richmond) decides to stick with Ben anyway.
Since it’s cheaper than renting her own boat, Marybeth (Tamara Feldman) uses the haunted swamp tour to hunt for her father and brother, who went out alligator hunting and never returned. Marybeth had warned them about Victor Crowley, but they laughed at her. After all, there’s no such thing as a psychotic ghost who chops people up with a hatchet, is there?
When the tour boat gets hung up on a rock and a rainstorm causes it to sink, the group gets stranded in the swamp—right next to Victor Crowley’s cabin. Fun and spooky turns into horrible and nightmarish as they try to avoid Victor and stay alive.
I can’t believe how many times I jumped at the cheap scares in Hatchet. They’re done so well—and at unexpected times—and they got me every time. I laughed, I jumped, I screamed, and I laughed some more. This whole movie is just plain fun to watch (except for the horribly gross, graphic, and bloody parts that involved the chopping and ripping apart of human limbs).
The fact that Ben had a broken heart and had grown tired of looking at women’s breasts made him immediately likeable to me. In fact, the whole cast is likeable—even the wannabe porn stars who constantly bicker with each other. Normally too much bickering in a movie irritates me, but their arguments are so stupid that they’re hilarious.
Director Adam Green brings his enthusiasm and love of the comedy/horror genre to this movie. You can tell he loves what he does, and he does it well. Be sure to check out Adam’s interview in the special features and learn how Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister influenced his path in life. It’s an interesting tale that you don’t want to miss.
Fresh from the mind of Adam Green, Hatchet made me laugh almost as much as it frightened me. Sure, it’s a bit silly and predictable, and the plot is pretty thin, but it’s still one of the best horror films I’ve seen. I’m already looking forward to seeing the next movie this hot new horror director puts out.
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