On Feb. 18, Netflix came out with the eighth sequel to the original 1974 horror film “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” The 2022 “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is currently ranked third in the “Top 10 in the U.S. Today” on Netflix, and rightfully so in my opinion. Not only does the iconic character Leatherface strut around in a new skinned face, but this movie takes a more modern approach that has not been seen in the other movies of this franchise.

The movie focuses on relevant issues facing us today such as gentrification, school shootings and the controversy surrounding the confederate flag and its underlining meanings. While Leatherface does not pull out his famous chainsaw until almost fifty minutes into the movie, he makes up for the lack of use at the beginning of the film throughout the rest of the movie. Seriously, he does.

If I could provide any advice while watching this film, do not get attached to any of the characters. All of the characters I thought were going to survive Leatherface’s murderous spree, or at least survive a good portion of the movie, ultimately did not. I do not know if the budget was low for the fake blood supply, but I believe this movie compared to the movies in this franchise lacked blood splatter. Some might prefer it that way, but true horror fans know what I’m talking about.

Additionally, many of the killings were unrealistic. I get that horror movies often feature this kind of death, but at some point it’s just too much. I simply do not know how a person has a chainsaw ripped up their guts and then proceeds to be tossed in a pile of garbage a few yards away and survive for a couple more minutes (not just survive but be able to talk clearly).

One of the main storylines during the movie focused on Sally Hardesty. In the original 1974 movie, Sally Hardesty was the only one in her group friends to survive Leatherface’s killing spree. Now, almost fifty years later, Hardesty returns to Harlow, Texas to stop Leatherface once and for all. If you are a fan of the franchise, you probably noticed something was off about Sally Hardesty in this film.

Marilyn Burns, an Erie, Pennsylvania native, originally played Sally Hardesty in the 1974 film and in two other films in the franchise. Unfortunately, in 2014, Burns died at the age of sixty-five in her sleep after suffering an apparent heart attack. The directors, instead of writing Hardesty out of the latest adaptation, decided to cast Irish actress Olwen Fouéré to play the famous character. While I love the character no matter who played her, I did not like the storyline much. It reminded me a lot of Jamie Lee Curtis’ character in the latest “Halloween” movie. However, if you want to know whether or not Hardesty is successful in killing Leatherface, you will have to watch the movie for yourself.

While there are parts of the movie that could have been better, I overall liked it. My adrenaline was high throughout the movie, and it really kept me on my toes. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” also provides viewers with some important life lessons throughout the film as well. For example, if you ever want to survive a chainsaw throwing maniac or any homicidal psycho, never assume the killer is dead.