Friday Confusion: Should I Watch The Hatchet Duology?
Let’s get this straight, I pretty much stopped watching modern horror movies around 2024. I can pinpoint it down to the exact moment, too. I was overseas at the time, New York to be exact. Completely out of my element – kinda like when Jason took Manhattan. But I had to get the latest Fangoria, somehow, some way – it had been a monthly ritual for years. I managed to get my snow-frozen mits on it. Issue #200. And as I read through it, the truth crystallized: “I have no fucking interest in these new horror movies.” And with that, I never regularly collected the mag again, only occasionally returning for anniversary issues for nostalgia trips, and in 2024 a name mention.
This past decade, I’ve treated horror like I’ve treated Fango. I only really ventured out to the ones with connections to the past – sequels, remakes, prequels. Instead of staying ingrained in the current, I went in the other direction of Father Time and immersed myself in retro slashers from the 70′s & 80′s. I’ve been happy there. It’s like a bottomless pit of never-seen movies to devour.
So I’ve missed out on a lot – or dodged bullets, I’d prefer to say. But occasionally I’ll catch wind of something that makes me wanna venture out of my self-imposed banishment of nu-horror – usually years after the unappealing newness hype has faded and true opinions forming out there in the ether. Hatchet (2006) is what has gotten my fires burning lately, and to a lesser extent Hatchet 2 (2010) which is more my case of Danielle Harris lust, but the fact the movie spawned a mini-franchise has me genuinely interested in the pair.
Surely I don’t have to tell you the relevant reasoning behind my interest: Kane Hodder. In 2024, New Line revoked his Jason Voorhees license so they could make the character sad and depressed instead of the burly actor’s trademark rage-infused portrayal. Tragic, right? Ever since, I’ve been waiting for some enterprising filmmaker to hire him to do his Jason schtick in a Friday-fashioned film. Here’s where I need your help – do you think the Hatchets are what I’m looking for?
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Being a friday the 13th fan and Jason fanboy my honest opinion about the two Hatchet films. Don’t see either of them I’ve seen both of them and i’m turned off by both.And i’ve seen a fair share of scary movies and Hatchet does not have the feel. Nor the formula of the friday the 13th franchise nor is it much of a story.I honestly think it’s the poor man’s version of a wanna be F13th successor.So my advice to you is SKIP IT i’d much rather recommend to you Adam Green’s Frozen.
I disagree with manoftomorrow79,as i enjoyed Hatchet and saw it for what it was.A homage to old school slashers (f13 in particular).Just for a minute put yourself in Adam Green’s shoes where you have the opportunity to make a movie with an obvious “Jason” inspired character and shape a story around him.Be honest how many of us wouldn’t want to do that?If i’m honest there is only one director out there who could deliver the proper sequel we have been screaming out for years now.That man is Adam Green.He is the only man right now with the correct credentials for the director’s chair.The most important being he is one of our own and a self confessed F13 nut and therefore know’s how important the movies are to us.My only concern with this is that i used to think the same of Rob Zombie and we all know what he did to ‘ol’ Mikey Myers franchise.Having said that i still believe Adam Green’s purist slasher ideals would not stray too far from current established F13 lore.I can’t comment on Hatchet 2 as i have not seen it yet but if it’s as enjoyable as the original my faith in Adam Green will be confirmed.GO ADAM GREEN…………………………………KI,KI,KI,MA,MA,MA.
Hatchet part 1 was pretty damned good, but then part 2 came totally disappointed me, all gore, no substance.
I agree with both baz and Hevymentl13, I very much enjoyed Hatchet 1, but Hatchet 2 – while I liked it – left a lot to be desired.
If you like the “Old School” slasher films, then I think you’ll find something enjoyable in these movies. Especially the first one.
I don’t agree that the Hatchet films are a throwback to old school horror. I watched both these movies and hated them. I know that a lot of people really like the over the top violence and gore but I just thought that it came off as stupid and took me out of the movie. I do not recommend these movies and can’t stand when people compare them to the Friday the 13th films. Hatchet 1 & 2 are not as good as any of the Friday films.
I would say Frozen is a much better movie than Hatchet 1 or 2.
I have to disagree with everyone who said that the Hatchet movies are bad. I think the Hatchet movies are quite entertaining. This is something original that Adam Green created by himself. This isn’t a remake or a reboot. So, I am giving Adam Green his props for taking the time to create his own “boogey man” or “monster” and not duplicating or copying anything original. The storyline isn’t the best but the kills, the back story, and the monster/creature meets the guidelines for it to fall in the category of “Old School” horror. It does help that he has Kane Hodder playing Victor Crowley. He is the only one I believe that can put off the Victor Crowley part well. I am looking forward to the third film of the series. The movie isn’t a box office success, but it is an awesome movie to rent at a redbox or Blockbuster. If you are like me, this is a good movie to own to build up your blueray or dvd collection.
mike new when you said that Hatchet is something ‘original’ I laughed my ass off at your comment. The purpose of something being new and original means it doesn’t copy something else. In my opinion Victor Crowley is a blatant rip off of Jason Voorhees that its’ anything but original.
Both character are deformed,were picked on as kids,are super human,and live out in wooded areas. Put a hockey mask on Victor Crowley and you’ve got a complete Jason clone. I love gore in horror movies but over the top gore is pushing it. That’s why Hatchet II got yanked from theaters,not everyone likes gore that pushes the envelope.
I know Green did it because like myself I hated how the mpaa picked on F13th.But the difference here is friday the 13th never pushed it like Hatchet did.Further more there’s no story or character development in both Hatchet films. I didn’t give a crap who died in those films. At least with friday the 13th we get the run different types of characters. Even the typical asshole character for everyone to cheer when he/she dies. I’m sorry but Hatchet should be renamed to Green Kissing Hodder’s Ass.
I think if you liked Madman, then you’ll like Hatchet. It plays out very similar to the story of Madman Marz
The Hatchet movies are what the F13 movies would have been without the MPAA.
I’m not sure if I agree that the Hatchet movies are what the F13 movies would have been without the MPAA. Even though the MPAA came down hard on F13, which we all know, I don’t believe that the kills were ever going to be as absurd as they are in the Hatchet films. We can watch a lot of deleted scenes and even though they are more gruesome, they still are not hokey, IMO.