u/ManInTheBoxXIII

I honestly feel that this entry feels more like what the 2003 remake SHOULD’VE been. It was meaner, dirtier, and just overall had the feeling of hopelessness. The 2003 film still kind of had that glossy early-2000s “cool” factor, while this one, to me, genuinely felt miserable in the best way. It sort of understood Leatherface better, to a certain degree. He was the inevitable product of a rotting family (which the film remembered to focus on more family scenes) and their environment. The prequel captured more of the original film’s spirit in it’s own way than the remake did. The remake also ended up putting itself in a tight spot by having Leatherface's arm get hacked off, giving direct sequels an immediate "uh, now what?" decision after the box office delivered.