(2010) ***
This is kind of a good news / bad news situation. The good news is that this flick is awesome. It's hilarious, gory as hell, never takes itself too seriously, and just an overall great time. The bad news is that if you want to see it for this month's Horrorthon, you will have to go to a theater today, since it will in all likelihood get pulled from theaters tomorrow due to a ratings battle that has alienated writer/director Adam Green from the MPAA and AMC theaters. You can click here for theater locations.
I got the inside scoop on this last night when a friend invited me along to the premier of Hatchet 2, which features his hilarious pal Colton Dunn.
Colton is along for the ride with a group of monster hunters who take off on a swamp boat to hunt the murderous, deformed ghost of Victor Crowley, bane of late night gator hunters--and anyone else who happens to have a reason for being in the swamp in the dead of night. Colton had one of the funniest moments I've seen in any movie in this little flick. Just in case you actually do get out to a theater today to catch the movie, I won't wreck Colton's bit for you. But I will say that I was giggling for several scenes afterwards, unable to shake the funny.
After the film, we were treated to a Q&A with some of the stars and Adam Green, who explained the ratings imbroglio. Then, we headed over to the house of Danielle Harris, who turned out to be a neighbor of Octo and myself.
And I got to hang out with some of the folks from this film. One funny thing Adam Green told me is that horror people are the friendliest bunch around--in contrast to comedy people, who are vicious and mean. Strange irony there, obviously, but I can definitely say that in my meager experience with horror people last night, this statement turned out to be true. They're a very accepting bunch of cats. And it so happened that Danielle will actually be in Orlando, where my short is playing, next weekend for Spooky Empire. She does a ton of conventions where she shows up to sign autographs as the scream queen she is, I guess. Must be a fun way to make a living!
I don't have to tell you much about this film for you to know that you will love it. Swamp ghost with an axe kills people--people who for some dumb reason just can't stay out of the swamp. There is little more to reveal except that every scene is funny, and every death is cartoony, violent goodness. And the action starts so quickly that I thought we were seeing a preview--you're right in the thick of things, picking up from the end of Hatchet 1, as soon as the projector starts.
If you can't catch it this Horrorthon, at least make sure you get it on DVD. You don't need to see Hatchet 1 to keep up, but I will be seeing Hatchet 1 as soon as possible, now that I know about this great group of independent film makers. I was very moved by Adam's struggle as an indie guy who has spoken out against the all powerful MPAA. Granted, I don't know much except his side of the story, but I dug the spoofy vibe of this film and was sorry that the guys at MPAA apparently didn't get the joke. They decided to give the movie an NC 17 rating instead of an R, and when Adam got pissed off about this, AMC had to back pedal away from their support of him. The Hatchet 2 website contains a statement to the effect that the decision to release the film unrated was not made by AMC, despite "comments made in recent interviews." Like I said, I only know one person's side of this saga, but it sounds like a juicy controversy. So you have one day--today--to support these filmmakers.
I am now in the Hatchet Army, folks, and I hope you will join me!
12 comments:
Man I wish I didn't have plans tonight I would totally run out to see this. I really liked Hatchet 1, I'm so glad to hear 2 is a blast as well. Nice review Julie, all my best to them.
Julie's understating how cool her evening was. Danielle Harris was the little girl in Halloween 5 and 6, and had a part in the two Rob Zombie remakes. Made me wish I'd tagged along.
Nice summary of a fun night, but how was the movie? How many stars? I'm very jealous.
JPX, I edited to include the stars. But really, I think I've covered the movie. There's a ghost with an axe who lives in a swamp. A lot of people die. That is really it, man. It's fun!
It was really a surprise to me that this event turned out to be so incredibly cool. Very lucky.
Oops! That first comment from Julie up there is actually from me. Didn't realize she'd signed in on my computer.
danielle harris is also in Last Boyscout and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's dead -- girl had chops as a kid.
total bummer about the ratings thing -- that's not going to affect its dvd release, is it?
Sounds totally fun - both the movie and the experience! You're so hollywood; I'm jealous!
Well that’s just awesome Julie but why the NC-17 rating? I don’t get it. If the Saw, Hostel, Texas Chainsaw movies can escape with the R rating, what does one have to do to get the NC-17 stamp? Severed penises? Rape?
Well, well, well, look who decides to join the party...
AMC unexpectedly pulls unrated slasher sequel 'Hatchet II' from all screens: 'I'm bewildered and confused,' says director Adam Green
From ew, Just a couple of days after the release of Hatchet II, the AMC theater chain has pulled the unrated slasher sequel from all of the cinemas that were showing the movie. “We woke up this morning and the movie was gone,” says director Adam Green. “I’m bewildered and confused.”
Green had earlier told EW that AMC volunteered to exhibit an unrated version of Hatchet II after the MPAA declined to give the movie an R rating. “It turns out the people who make the decisions at AMC were big fans of the original Hatchet and loved the sequel,” the director said at the time. “I think the quote was that they thought it was the best slasher sequel they’d ever seen.”
The decision by AMC to exhibit an unrated film attracted a lot of attention in the media—as did Green’s attacks on the MPAA, which included his assertion that it was an “evil” organization. Green now speculates this may have been the reason why the chain pulled his movie, which stars Kane Hodder as a swamp-dwelling homicidal maniac named Victor Crowley. “I assume it probably had something to do with the controversy online about an unrated movie playing in theaters,” says the director. “To me, the whole thing is unfortunate because this is not a movie that deserves to be unrated. It’s a very funny, silly slasher movie about a swamp ghost that’s killing people in ridiculous ways. And now it’s become, you know, ‘Banned from cinemas.’ I’ve lost 11 pounds in the last week from stress.”
A spokesperson for AMC confirmed Hatchet II had been pulled from all of the company’s screens, and issued the following written statement: “At AMC theaters, we review all films in all of our theatres every week and then make our business decisions based on their performance.”
Green says that he is not disappointed with the performance of his film, which during its limited, truncated release grossed less than $70,000. “It’s an unrated cult movie that didn’t have commercials and all those other things,” he says. “I don’t see them pulling a movie on Sunday because it doesn’t look like the box office is going to blow people away.”
Green insists that while he has now given up hope of Hatchet II being granted any subsequent substantial life on the big screen, he remains sure that his film will still prove popular with horror fans. “The good thing is that the biggest audience for this movie—because it was for the first one—is going to with on demand and DVD,” he says. “I know that [Hatchet 2 distribution company] Dark Skies, in light of it being pulled prematurely, is going to do everything they can to get it to the fans as fast as they can. And that’s exciting. I don’t really make hardcore movies. I’m doing a kids movie next! Hopefully, this is the last time I’m ever even going to deal with something like this.”
Did you see Hatchet II before it was pulled? Would you have seen it this week?
JSP, from what Adam said, the MPAA has a rep of going easier on studio movies. And apparently there's a doc called This Film Is Not Yet Rated that goes into all these politics.
I'm almost afraid to write anything about it, lest they put me on a black list.
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