Blu-Ray Review: 'Hatchet' (2007)

HATCHET (2007)

Adam Green's Hatchet is one of those Cinderella success stories that comes along every five years or so--a hit film willed into existence through the sweat, passion, and determination of a director who didn't know he was doing something impossible. A celebration of the slasher movies of the '70s and '80s, Hatchet is an uncompromising flick that tells the story of the deformed Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder), a recluse who lives in the swamps of Louisiana and brings terrible retribution upon those who venture too close to his family's homestead. That's bad news indeed for a group of tourists who get stranded after a moonlight boat ride goes horribly wrong.

That's about it for the plot, and really, that's all you need. Hatchet is a movie that's all about style, not narrative, and Victor Crowley appears to have only one speed of operation: Tasmanian Devil. There's a delicious glee in every frame of this film, with Crowley's inarticulate rage used to brilliant comic effect in a number of misdirected jump scares. The actors, led by Joel David Moore (the poor man's David Schwimmer), fully commit to playing thinly sketched archetypes, while kill scenes are so over the top that they cross the line from genuinely horrific into Looney Tunes-esque comedy (albeit the most macabre episode of Looney Tunes imagineable--when was the last time you saw a woman get her head ripped completely in half, leaving the hapless tounge flapping around like a dying fish atop the stump of the victim's neck?)

Green managed to coax some big genre stars into his film, including Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street), Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th), Tony Todd (Candyman), and Mercedes McNabb (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), with special effects handled by horror icon John Carl Buechler (Troll, Friday the 13th Part VII). Fortunately, everyone is in on the joke, and that's part of the fun. Had anyone attempted to play things straight, the movie could have fallen off the rails before the fifteen-minute mark. Thankfully, this didn't happen.

It has become the stuff of horror legend that Hatchet was rejected by a number of studios before finding a home at Anchor Bay Entertainment, the patron saints of all things horror. In one of the disc's behind-the-scenes documentaries, Green marvels at the fact that one studio rejected Hatchet because, although they admired the screenplay, the movie "wasn't a sequel, wasn't a remake, and wasn't based on a Japanese film," and therefore they didn't know how to market it. The incredulos Green recycled that rejection letter almost verbatim into the film's celebrated marketing campaign. "Hatchet -- Old School American Horror. Not a Sequel. Not a Remake. Not Based on a Japanese Film." Thank goodness Green knew what we wanted; the rest is history.

Enough about the movie. What about the Blu-Ray itself?

The fine folks at Anchor Bay present Hatchet in a strong Blu-Ray edition that recycles all of the supplements (in standard definition, alas) from the earlier DVD version. The movie itself is presented in a very reasonable 1080p transfer that allows the shadows to retain their blackness, even as the blue-tinged night scenes sparkle. Detail level remains high throughout, with little to no video artifacting. The audio is more than serviceable, courtesy of a very active Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround mix. Comparing the Blu-Ray to my DVD, the transfer is noticeably sharper and more defined, although the DVD looks fine in its own right.

A series of behind-the-scenes documentaries lead off the Blu-Ray's supplements. "The Making of Hatchet" is a genuinely fascinating featurette that tells how an average guy with no industry connections managed to make a film that set the horror world on fire. "Meeting Victor Crowley" introduces the mythos behind, and creation of, Hatchet's villain. "Guts and Gore" and "Anatomy of a Kill" cover the design and execution of Hatchet's uber-violent practical effects. "A Twisted Tale" is a complete throwaway, explaining the unusual friendship between Green and former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider--I doubt anyone but Snider and Green care. The original DVD's excellent audio commentary track, featuring Green, several cast members, and the cinematographer, makes a welcome return to the Blu-Ray. A gag reel and theatrical trailer round out the old supplements.

The only new bonus content on the Blu-Ray is a second audio commentary track between Green and actor Kane Hodder, who did not appear on the original commentary. Recorded several years after the first track, this new conversation is warm and personable. Green has had time to reflect on Hatchet's success, while Hodder seems bemused and delighted by the warm reception that fans have afforded both the film and the Victor Crowley character.

Hitting Blu-Ray just as Green's eagerly awaited follow-up Hatchet II slides into theaters, Hatchet remains one of the most unapologetically fun slasher films to hit home video in years. Celebrating its reliance on old-school practical effects and cartoonish, highly stylized ultra-violence, Hatchet isn't for the squeamish. But those who love wall-to-wall crimson in their horror flicks will find a great deal to enjoy here.

Hatchet is now available on Blu-Ray. You can also get it on DVD if you prefer. The disc can be purchased locally at either Wal-Mart or Best Buy, both in Dickson City.

Check out the film's trailer on the left side of the page.

RATING: B+

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