Unlike Leatherface, the hulking wielder of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning's titular weapon, some screen villains deserve a little extra oomph, an additional layer or two of complexities to make them more intriguing than your garden-variety antagonists. Hannibal Lecter, Darth Vader, Norman Bates, and many others rose above mere "bad guy" status and emerged as fully fleshed-out and highly-interesting characters. Leatherface, on the other hand, doesn't need as much exploration; he's a mindless brute who wants to kill almost every unfortunate soul who crosses his path, and that's all he needs to strike fear into the hearts of moviegoers. Unfortunately, TCM: The Beginning, a prequel to the 2003 remake of Tobe Hooper's 1974 cult classic, attempts to explain away the character's homicidal behaviors and does a laughable job of it by taking a big bite out of the frightening effect the flick might have had.

Set in 1969, TCM: The Beginning focuses on four teens taking a fateful road trip: Dean (Taylor Handey), his brother Eric (Matthew Bomer), and their respective girlfriends Bailey (Diora Baird) and Chrissie (Jordana Brewster). The guys are on their way to re-enlist in the Army to go fight in the ongoing Vietnam War -- at least Eric is, for Dean has plans to burn his draft card and take off toward Mexico with his sweetheart. But all their plans are about to be cut short when they enter a desolate Texas town in the middle of nowhere that's hit some hard times recently. 

Unfortunately for the kids, this is where the sadistic Sheriff Hoyt (R. Lee Ermey) has decided that no matter what, he and his family will survive -- even if it means hunting down passers-by and turning them into breakast, lunch, and dinner. When her friends are captured by the psychotic Hoyt following a nasty car accident, it's up to Chrissie to find a way to get help and rescue them from being slaughtered at the hands of a deformed beast of a man known as Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski).

As I watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, I couldn't think of a single reason why it was made that didn't have to do with its box office potential. After all, the recent remake earned 80 million dollars. When this prequel tries to establish the cannibal clan's motives and to bring even a hint of profundity to the legend of Leatherface, it seems too pretentious for me. Instead, why not do a sequel  continuing the horror icon's murderous misadventures? In any case, copius blood and gore by way of chainsaw killings (among other methods of murder) are probably the only reason audiences will flock to the film, so thinking that TCM: The Beginning is going to deliver any earth-shattering revelations is fairly presumptuous on behalf of its filmmakers.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning isn't a complete washout as a horror movie. The first hour drags on, but the last thirty minutes or so really ratchet up the suspense and gore, especially during one scene in which Leatherface cranks up his signature weapon for the first time. R. Lee Ermey goes delightfully over-the-top as the alpha male of the cannibal clan, and Jordana Brewster is a gorgeous face I wouldn't mind seeing in more movies.

Still, considering how inconsequential carrying over the timeline from this prequel to the remake is, it's a wonder why the filmmakers even bothered with offering up a series of more victims for slaughter. Yes, it could've been worse, but when you add up everything contained in  The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, all you get is a big fat "Why?"

MY RATING: ** (out of ****)

(Released by New Line Cinema and rated "R" for strong horror violence/gore, language and some sexual content.)