HATCHET 3 (2013) **

Hatchet 3 isn’t as blatant or over the top as the last two films in the series.  Adam Green didn't direct this time out, for whatever reason.  Maybe new director B.J. McDonnell didn't have the same more-is-more sensibilities as Green.  Maybe Green’s script was purposefully more straightforward.  As horror sequels go, there’s still plenty of gore to be found.  It’s just not nearly as much fun as its predecessors.

We pick up where we left off, with Marybeth (Danielle Harris) killing the unkillable Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder).  She gets blamed for his latest crime spree by the sheriff (Zach Galligan), who puts her in jail.  Meanwhile, Crowley regenerates and starts killing even more people.  A SWAT team is sent into the swamp and get picked off one by one by Crowley.  A journalist (Caroline Williams) visits Marybeth in jail and pleads with her to return to the swamp to end his curse once and for all.  

The cast seems like they filmed their scenes while on a break from signing autographs at a horror convention. Galligan fares best as the sheriff.  Williams is kind of grating and Harris isn’t given much to do outside of the opening and climactic scenes.  I did like seeing Derek Mears (as the head of the SWAT team) getting killed by Kane Hodder, which means you get to see Jason kill Jason. 

Little touches like this makes Hatchet 3 tolerable for horror fans.  I also liked that it poked fun at the other films in the series.  The kills are juicy, but they’re not quite as inventive as what came before.  It also takes forever to get into gear.  While it’s only 81 minutes, it feels like it's almost over before it even gets going.

AKA:  Butcher 3.

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