The Sawyer Massacre (2022) User Reviews

A Grip on Horrors Finest

[themovieraidshow · 7/10 · 26 October 2022]

This is a fan film telling a prequel of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre .

The story starts off with a group of young adults on a road trip, a group on a camping trip, a couple passing through and a few bored women looking for some action. The couple passing through stops at a gas station looking for food and is greeted by and elderly man and a very greetful off set man named Rex who guides them to a farm and a house where Rex's grandfather has the food.

With hesitant upon arriving with Rex he says to go to the house while he fetches the food. The couple manages to go inside but what awaits them is more than doubts and creepiness.

This fan film follows the formula and roots of the classic, the less usage of a score adds the feeling creepiness and unease on its own through out each scene.

The story fixates on the characters emotions than just actions and invites the viewer to feel and even hope they live though this nightmare. It almost sets up that the old man sawyer of how he can't stand to see people killed but later enjoys watching as seen in TCM. The Hitchiker makes a cameo as a crazed kid working at the gas station than digging graves and making grotesque art.

Grandpa makes a large part of this story and even directs when and who to kill. Leatherface is straight to the kill and even changes faces almost as if he uses the faces he cuts as a different emotion. We are invited into Terrors home room by room. It can give the audience the suspense as to how much time the victims have before Leatherface gets them.

This fan film does fair well with good film shots, the acting performance fits the moments, the characters fit and Rex makes a chilling invitation for death to visit. For TCM fans you'll want to witness a more personal experience on this one.

A dinner scene...

[kvikman-88534 · 7/10 · 25 October 2022]

...is obviously something that a TCM related film must have and there is one. The movie is set as a unofficial prequel to TCM 1974 and does a fairly decent job as such. The tone is set early on and the feel of a desolate rural area emerges along with the plot. Most of the characters are only there to satisfy the saw, except for Jimmy (Jordan O'Neal). There are a few inconsistencies and/or plot holes, but they can mostly be overlooked and disregarded. Now, Leatherface (Bubba) is played by Scotty Parkin and he does a fine job as the infantile, subdued killer. His facemask looks partly like the Hulk, partly like Lou Reed with a splash of Linda Perry. The FX are gory, but I guess that budget was an issue so they aren't very elaborate. All in all, the Sawyer Massacre holds its own and is well worth your time if you happen to enjoy low budget Horror that is connected to the TCM franchise.

Movie Review: The Sawyer Massacre (2022)

[LegendsofHorror · 7/10 · 6 December 2022]

In 1974, Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created a unknown masterpiece that has earned the title among horror fans as one of "The Most Horrifying Horror Films Ever Made". The film also made its villian, a Horror Icon. The name "Leatherface" is now synonymous to the likes of the Universal Monsters, Hammer Horrors, and the like. Nothing like this had ever been seen before on the big screen, such brutality and depravity without thought or remorse.

Over the years there has been sequels, reboots, and even the fans have joined in and shown their love of the saw. This one fan goes by the name of Steve Merlo. He is a first time director and a huge fan of the series. This isn't just any ordinary fan film, this is what he likes to call an "Unofficial Prequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" and this reviewer has to agree. You can tell he has put his heart and soul into this project, now there will be grey areas that I will have some objections to but you can tell that from the opening credits that Mr. Merlo is one to watch and that he a a true fanboy of the genre.

The film opens up, introducing us to the man that will be called "LEATHERFACE" but brutality that foreshadows future events as well as the wolves that are disguised as sheep leading the others to their bloody demise are the true monsters of this tale...

The year is 1965, the day is June 30th. Jimmy, Gene, and Brent (played by Jordan O' Neal, Bryley Bell, and Jordan Fortiz) are three friends who take a weekend trip to the Texas countryside, in desperate need of escapism from city life and tragedy. Upon arrival of Brent's isolated cabin, the boys realize they need supplies and food. During their trek to pick up supplies, they meet two sisters who have purchased a home not too far from where they are staying. The older sister, Loraine (played by Alicia Jade) and the younger and more adventurous sister, Alison (is played by Nika Louw) befriend the three youths over the weekend as they decide to spend time together.

This is where their weekend of fun in the sun turns into a nightmare of hellish proportions, as they meet Drayton, Grandpa, The "Schizo", a new family member "Rex" and ultimately "Leatherface".

In between all the happening there are various people introduced that are meat fodder, some have a bit or spirit but ultimately, they are in the film to be used as "food".

Under the guise of food and camping supplies, Rex is able to decieve his victims through disinformation and guide them into their lair of blooth and metal teeth. Once there, the group of strangers must team up and out wit their captors or become part of the body count that is "The Sawyer Massacre"...

Rex (played by William Instone) does an amazing job as the main Antagonist in the film, you can tell he likes to get dirty for his roles and really get into character. The actor who played Drayton (Bill Houskeeper), I personally feel he was miscast just mainly due to Jim Siedow's build and personality in the 1974 film. That being said, his acting was very well done. The Schizo (played by Vitor Parachini) that is another one who I thought did a wonderful job and really understood the character he was portraying. Scotty Parkin who donned the dead skin mask, portrayed "Leatherface" in a way that would have made Gunnar, Dan and Bill proud.

The music and the sound effects were top notch and really added to the ambiance and the creep factor. You could feel the dread in the air in several scenes, it was quite forthcoming and unsettling. The gore effects weren't over the top nor were they in your face, which is a good thing, Merlo and crew made sure that that when setting up the brutality and the death house that is was just uncomfortable enough to make the viewers uneasy just like hooper and henkel did in the original classic. Everything in this film was done with love and precision and from a fan's perspective, meaning if you are looking and listen carefully there are several "Easter Eggs" in the film that cover the entire TCM franchise.

This was an indiegogo film project that has a runtime of 1:33:42 and it should be honoured as part of the TCM canon. I think Merlo and Team made something that would have made both Tobe and Kim proud.

Reviews must be from friends...

[livebrainsrecords · 2/10 · 30 August 2023]

This was painful to watch, even for a fan film. Just clunky and boring. The Leatherface mask looks like something bought off wish. The gore is mostly off screen. The few times where this is some action in the film are spliced between meaningless conversations with some of the most boring characters with badly written dialogue. I still get it, it's a fan film. I'm sure they had a fun time making it, but it's an absolute chore to watch.

I guess if I had to say one positive thing it's that the people they cast as the young Nubbins was pretty fun. He got all the mannerisms down pretty well for a kid. So yeah, there's one good thing about this otherwise waste of time.

well crafted, but boring and pointless

[thomas-408 · 4/10 · 29 August 2023]

This is a well crafted film. Acting and production values, including makeup gore effects, are all very good.

Yet throughout most of this film, I was bored. There is much exposition, characters standing around and talking, revealing themselves to us. That's nice, but it feels pointless. We know they are doomed to die. Because this is a prequel, we know they won't win. They'll be killed.

So this film is mostly just watching these characters chatter about this and that, before they're led to the slaughter.

There's also some annoying silliness. Rex hangs out at the gas station, telling people that whatever they need -- lunch, bar-b-Que, camping equipment, lamps, anything -- can be had by going to his grandpa's house. "Yeah, he sells all that." No matter what the person wants, he's told that grandpa has it for sale.

So all these idiots go to the house. Well, they hang around the field outside for a while before they enter. A normal person would have left long before, but, these being horror characters, they're stupid enough to think that an old man in the middle of nowhere has a large and diverse inventory of sales items.

This film is called a prequel, but that implies an origin story, and this is not that. The cannibal family is already as they were in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. So really, it's just more of the same.

Which is why this film feels so pointless. Why make yet another Chainsaw film about city slickers driving through a small town and being butchered and cannibalized by local rednecks? If you're going to invest so much talent and work into making a prequel, why not write an original story to go with it?

The filmmakers did a great job of slavishly recreating the look and feel of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, only to slavishly retell the first story (i.e., avoid any originality, origin story, or point).

They have talent. I suggest they apply it to a new story next time.

Better than expected. Leatherface returns!

[Havok03 · 10/10 · 22 October 2022]

The Sawyer Massacre is a solid fan film with a perfect blend of horror and suspense. I'll admit, I didn't expect much at first but I was quite impressed. It's not as dull as your typical fan film. You can tell that Director had respect and passion for the original TCM. The gore and special effects were extremely wicked. Loved the orange filter effect that gives off the rural Texas heat vibe. Nika Louw and Alicia Jade both did a terrific job in portraying their characters. William Instone as Rex was personally my favourite character.

As a long time fan of the franchise I can say that The Sawyer Massacre is almost up there with the original. Hat's off to Steve Merlo and Crew! I look forward to seeing more from you guys. 7/10.

What all fan films should strive for.

[maximumrd · 9/10 · 25 October 2022]

Well I am impressed! I tend to be very wary of "FAN FILMS" and indeed many disappoint, others don't get the source material but this one is a gem. You can see the love for the source material and honestly better than some low budget or Asylum films. Bravo! Exceptional for a fan film showing the professionals what it is like when you "get" and respect the ideas and concepts of the material. I was entertained and in the end that is what counts. I'll keep my eye on these guys to see what else they come up with. If you are a fan I recommend checking it out, don't expect HOLLYWOOD budget or production values but just an effort that shows the love.

A surprisingly good fan movie and excellent homage to the original source material.

[cartrektccom · 8/10 · 24 October 2022]

Before watching, I knew this was a crowdfunded, low budget, fan movie based upon the original classic horror movie "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". I thus went in with relatively low expectations, thinking it would be a fun little romp that looked liked a student film project.

However, I instead found myself blown out of the water. Steve Merlo, the writer and director of this project, obviously knows his source material well and took a great deal of care and attention to craft a worthy prequel in the form of "The Sawyer Massacre". The camera work and lighting was absolutely top notch and spot on. Whoever did the sound mixing and color balancing did a phenomenal job of recreating the feel and tension of the original source material. However, this was not just a copy of that horror classic. Instead, it had a compelling original story that tied in seamlessly as a worthy prequel. Indeed, I'm a little sad for the cast and crew that this was an unofficial fan project because I do think it would stand up well if they were allowed to release it for profit. Essentially, it is not just a cheap student project where everyone smiles and nods and pats the filmmakers on the head but rather a solid movie in and of it's own right.

Now, don't get me wrong. It had it's share of problems. There were a few scenes that were not explained adequately to the audience. For example, the protagonists all getting captured and then we see them waking up from being unconscious without being told how they got to be that way. It also suffered from what I call "horror movie logic". In real life, the plot would have been over quickly and most, if not all, of the protagonists would have survived in mostly one piece. However, as is common with horror movies in general, the protagonists make horrible errors of judgement that lead them into deep trouble. Also, somehow, as an audience, we are expected to believe that someone lumbering slowly with a chainsaw could outrun people running away for their life as fast as they can. :-p

If you are willing to suspend your disbelief however, and just assume that's the way things work in horror movies, you will be deeply rewarded. The practical effects were phenomenal and convincing in their gore and depravity. They really looked like people getting seriously wounded. The acting, for the most part, was solid. The strongest performances came from the characters Jimmy, Allison, Rex and Grandpa. All of their dialogue, expressions, intonation and portrayal of dark evil or abject terror were flawless. Indeed, I believe you would be hard pressed to find better performances from seasoned professional actors. The sets were beautiful yet horrific. The camera work was top notch and the ambient background noise and soundtrack really helped to build the necessary tension for the viewer.

All in all, I think the cast and crew did a phenomenal job in bringing The Sawyer Massacre to life. It is an extremely entertaining and satisfying romp if you enjoy a good horror movie. And the best part? As it is a fan movie, it is entirely free. I would definitely suggest you look it up on YouTube. An hour and a half well spent. :-)

Fun indie horror with a great story!

[press8084 · 9/10 · 27 October 2022]

I loved being a part of this from almost day one, and i am not surprised at how well this turned out. Steve knew what he wanted and did the absolute best he could esp being an indie low budget film. IT is acted well and looks better than most low budget or indie films. The effects are all mostly spot on and the setting.... Texas is captured well. You feel the tension, you feel the terror and you feel for a lot of the characters. Great to see someone make a chainsaw film that is actually worth a watch great job everyone!! Seeing what happens and following the characters journey is fun and i enjoyed watching all of it.

Jimmy.

Low budget indie surprise

[mrveryscaryguy · 8/10 · 25 October 2022]

I was pleasantly surprised by this low budget indie.

The location was ideal and set the tone for the film. The characters of Drayton, Leather Face and Rex were sufficiently menacing and they carried the story along nicely. The victims characters were interesting and they had back stories that fleshed them out. I believe great care was taken to keep the "look" authentic to the time period (vehicles, home decor ect.) . The butcher room was scary and blood covered giving the victims no hope of escape. Steve Merlo will be a name to follow and I look forward to his future projects. I think it was an awesome idea to release this fan film on YouTube allowing it as much exposure as possible. Nice job Steve and crew the film kept me entertained.

A good prequel fan film

[UmbrellaMan00 · 10/10 · 7 August 2023]

This was a really fun fan film. It had a lot of suspense and good kills in it. All of the unknown actors did a pretty good job in their roles. Scotty Parkin played a really good Leatherface. William Instone was awesome as Rex. The cinematography was on point and felt close to the original. This was much better than the Texas Chainsaw movie they released for Netflix that felt nothing more than a cash grab. As a long time fan of this franchise I would highly recommend it to any fans of the Texas Chainsaw franchise. It's always nice to see fans come together and make their own projects instead of waiting for Hollywood projects.

Slasher thriller excitement and fun

[beran-michael · 10/10 · 28 October 2022]

I was fortunate enough to be on the set cast and crew four Texas chainsaw massacre 3-D, this fan film is excellent well done follows the theme follows the genre follows the feel of the originals so well down to the details of 1970s. I highly recommend this film if you are a fan of the 80s styles slasher movies back when the movies were great in the blood squirting flowed free and it kept you on the edge of your seat and you never knew what was gonna happen where the next plot term was gonna happen what was going to jump out and scare the big Jesus out of you. This film really delivers in every single avenue.

I really enjoyed it

[redjaysgaming · 8/10 · 30 October 2022]

For a fan film this was really good everyone did pretty good the gore was on point and you could really feel the tension going at times leatherface looked really good to. Rex was awesome too . I have a few theories about a few things though like does the construction guy get away and what happened to Drayton we never see him again after that one scene. But I really loved it the score was good too. I hope Steve continues this route of film making he has a bright future ahead! Everyone involved played a solid role Jimmy side story was very heartfelt as well and again I loved that one scene at the beginning with the construction guy over seeing the power grids the sound in the background just adds a eerie feel to the scene! Great job to all.

This is a must see film!

[smithsoncreationsllc · 10/10 · 30 October 2022]

If you ever wanted to see a prequel of Texas Chainsaw Massacre this is the one you want to watch!! Don't miss out on it you will enjoy it!! It's everything you wanted and needed to know about the Sawyer family. Steve Merlo and the whole cast made something special here! I'm loved this movie! I'm going to make sure all my friends that love Texas Chainsaw Massacre watch this film and I'm 100% positive they will love it as much as I did! Steve Merlo made the fan film we always wanted and needed and absolutely killed it! I and about to watch it again to make sure I did not miss a single thing!

Steve! Keep up the great work and I can't wait to see what you have next! Congratulations to everyone for making and amazing film!!

A Prequel Reminiscent of the Time

[macabre_ish · 9/10 · 27 October 2022]

All this movie needed was the grit and bleakness that only comes from 1970s cinematography and it would have been right on the money. Nice tongue in cheek jokes and quality acting. Good scream acting and the horror on Alison's face really sold her scenes. Even the 'not quite showing the kills and torture' is definitely a feature of the horror from this time period and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The music was subtle and unnerving and added depth to the bleak moments of the movie and added a since of foreboding. I did lose track of the characters a few times and a few people escaped that house a lot but over all, this was a satisfying flick. Well done!

Brilliant Fan Film!!!

[ssjichigo · 9/10 · 28 October 2022]

Without a doubt, this keeps so much of the atmosphere of the OG. This is a prime example of use your imagination to figure stuff out. The characters are all amazing (especially Rex, played by William Instone). Not heavy on gore, but enough to make you happy. Leatherface looks awesome as well as the masks he wears throughout the movie. The location of the film is also reminiscent of the original, with a house that is eerie and dreadful. If you have not checked it out, do yourself a favor a fix that. Steve Merlo and crew definitely put their best foot forward when it came to this labor of love..

A very fun watch

[HeadlessHound · 9/10 · 28 October 2022]

If you like low-budget horror movies and are a Texas Chainsaw fan, I can't recommend this movie enough. The Sawyer Massacre is tons of fun from start to finish. Solid acting all around, good cinematography, surprisingly gruesome moments-- it's got it all.

There was a scene where the atmosphere was so bizarre that it made me laugh, very much in spirit of the original film.

As for the highlights: any of the scenes featuring Grandpa are easily the best. I was genuinely shocked to experience them, in the best way possible. I don't want to give anything away, but they are perfectly acted, shot, and edited. I would recommend watching this movie on the merit of those scenes alone. Nika Louw's performance was fantastic from her first moment onscreen to her last, Bill Houskeeper's portrayal of Drayton was absolutely phenomenal, and every scene with Leatherface was a delight.

The only negative things I can say are that the higher video quality could create a visual dissonance at times, and there were a couple moments with confusing lighting. But neither of these things distracted too much from the viewing experience.

For what it is, and given the kinds of Texas Chainsaw content we've been getting lately, this movie is just about everything I could've wanted from a fan film.

Keeps to the tone of the original

[tdclark-49916 · 8/10 · 28 October 2022]

This is a amazing fan film that really benefits from being filmed in Texas. You can tell that a lot of thought went into its construction which avoids the problems of "just show the main character doing cool stuff" that plagues many fan films. Also, the acting is surprisingly good from all of the cast. Leatherface is particulary good as he kind of stumbles about and gets frustrated when his tools are not in the right place. For him, what he is doing is not wrong or replusive, it's just a business; butchering people is no different than butchering animals.

I really love the low-quality asthetic of the movie - it makes it feel old, as if it was a story from 1965. Maybe some film-grain in the camera would have made it better but still, top-notch stuff.

Best horror movie I saw in a long time

[jeremyhall-67370 · 10/10 · 11 November 2022]

The acting was great. But the story is what I'm really happy about. I love the writing in this one. It had me hook from start until finished. I'm not going to give nothing away. But, I really can tell everyone really worked hard on this one. The love shows 100%. I couldn't think of anything I didn't like. It wasn't too slow or fast. The characters felt like really people. I love horror more then any other genre & this one did not disappoint at all. This was the first horror movie I watch in my new home. I'm happy I pick this one. The setting was good too. They played everything perfect. Bless u.

Entertaining

[bclum-41966 · 8/10 · 30 October 2022]

Having not seen the original movie, I felt it was a great standalone feature. The special effects were good and the locations were spot on; however, I felt that the Airstream trailer parked at the gas station was out of place in the middle of nowhere. Also the campers did not come across as a family of campers, particularly in the way they were dressed. The actors played their parts well particularly the Rex character. The photography was outstanding and so was the music and sound effects especially the baby's cry at the end which is a very unique indication to tell the ending of this story. In closing, kudos to all for a job well done.

Absolutely outstanding!!

[invaderneri · 10/10 · 28 October 2022]

First off, this movie is OUTSTANDING! I'm absolutely happy with the acting and the plot of this movie. The actor who played leatherface did a splendid job!! The detail in the film is chefs kiss. As an huge Texas Chainsaw fan, I can certainly tell that the cast and crew put so much great effort into this. This film is one of the best fan made films I've ever seen to be honest. I have been recommending this film to many of my friends for them to watch and most of them said they really enjoyed it and are very happy with the content. Y'all definitely deserve all the support on this project. Best of wishes to the cast and crew.

Low Budget Horror with Style

[JohnHess-61198 · 10/10 · 6 August 2023]

Saw this movie in my youtube recommendations a couple months ago and added it to my "watch later" playlist. I had some free time this week and finally decided to give it watch. It's not the best fan film I've seen but I appreciated the effort. This movie perfectly captures that old school 70s look. The costumes are great, the scenery is on point and the the some of the kills are quite gorey. The actors did a fine job in their roles, but it was the low-budget production style that grabbed my attention. The leatherface actor was really scary and intimidating. Id definitely like to see a sequel to this.

Definitely worth checking out

[jospehdanger-08965 · 9/10 · 14 August 2023]

I heard about The Sawyer Massacre before checking it out and had certain expectations. Although it started out slowly, the story was good. The "scary" parts were fewer and farther between than I expected and there were some mild gore parts. The scenery and cinematography were what I found most interesting. The acting is solid, some of the characters are developed nicely. You don't really care about anyone, except for Jimmy and Allison played by Jordan O'Neal and Nika Louw. For those looking for a diverting, low budget horror experience with a creepy and thrilling ending, this movie ain't half bad.

A solid homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

[scarymatter · 8/10 · 29 January 2023]

A familiar-looking gas station in Texas directs hungry travelers to a place where they can get the best bbq in Texas. Director Steve Merlo wrote a well-thought-out unofficial prequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The Sawyers are as vile and detestable as you remember. The setting has a TCM feel, and the special effects are well done. Steve put in a lot of work to find the perfect filming locations and stay true to the Sawyer's reputation. A good cast that includes some first-timers who are giving it their all. The portrayal of Leatherface is fantastic as are the nods to the original movie. If you're a fan of TCM I recommend you give this one a watch.

Finally a movie that has the gore

[bentiyce · 9/10 · 6 December 2022]

Wow wow fantastic I really liked this the gore was out of this world picture Quality fantastic every body played their part really well had me believing could not take my eyes away from the screen the only down side was when it ended I was like more more you can see a lot of hard work went into makeing this and I think this is one of the best I've seen in a very long time I can't Waite to see what else youes bring us in the near future and if it's as good as this I think youes Weill go a very long way keep up the fantastic work and I Weill be looking out for this one and others in the near future.