Synopsis
This will be a quick one. Tommy "Leatherface" Hewitt (Andrew Bryniarski), his bug nuts insane adopted uncle Charlie (R. Lee Ermey) and a couple of other family members (Marietta Marich and Terrence Evans ) start their killing/cannibalism spree in July 1969. Tommy kills his boss at the local slaughterhouse when it closes and Charlie takes out the last sheriff in the country and assumes his identity, Hoyt. A foursome - Vietnam vet Eric (Matt Bomer), his draft dodging brother, Dean (Taylor Handley) and their girlfriends Chrissie (Jordana Brewster) and Bailey (Diora Baird), as well as a couple of bikers (Cyia Batten and Lee Tergesen), cross paths with the Hewitts. None of them escape. The end.
Analysis
Before going over the technical details and storytelling, let's address the central problem a film like this has. We already now that Leatherface and family can't be killed or discovered. So, there is absolutely no tension. We know that nothing that puts the antagonists in danger or that could result in a protagonist surviving is going to happen. So, when it looks like Chrissie might escape at the end, the audience knows this can't happen. That means, no tension and no suspense.
Of course, prequels (and their cousins, flashbacks) can work. The Godfather II is a great example of this. While not strictly a prequel, enough of the runtime is taken up with the story of Vito Corleon (Robert Di Niro) and his early rise to power in America that it can be seen as a hybrid sequel/prequel. As the audience, we know that Vito is going to become the Godfather. However, his backstory is told in an interesting fashion, is well acted and, most importantly, a dramatic movie works by different rules than a horror film.
In a horror film, particularly survival horror, much of the thrill of watching comes from seeing who will live. If you know that a) none of your antagonists can die and b) none of your protagonists can live, then you diffuse much what makes a film like this interesting. Of course, it can still be entertaining. In the Friday the Thirteenth series, you know most of the people are going to die. But, you don't necessarily know who, even if the cannon fodder characters are often pretty easy to spot. In a drama, character development is more important. Knowing why Vito behaved the way he did and how his rise to power differed from that of his son, Michael (Al Pacino) is important, because it creates motivation and adds layers to the characters.
The Beginning isn't so much bad as it is pointless. The cinematography by Lukas Ettlin is pretty good. The film has a nice black and washed out yellow color palette. The gore effects are a good example of practical makeup. The acting by Matt Bomer is pretty good. And Diora Baird and Jordana Brewster are easy on the eyes. There are a couple of sequences that are well-conceived and executed; in particular, a scene in which Hoyt forces Dean to do push-ups while beating him is brutal and, in a film in which tension was present, would've worked really well.
On the downside, in addition to the pointless nature of the film, there are other defects. The film meanders from one act of brutality to another with little effort made to create a plot. The film drifts back and forth between gritty horror and dark humor. While this mix can work (e.g., Cabin in the Woods) there isn't much of flow between the two moods. Most of the humor comes from Ermey scenery chewing performance, which seems more like the actor doing what he wanted and less like planned tonal shifts. The movie relies heavily on jump scares and the ending insults the audience. Chrissie is in a car, about to escape, when Leatherface basically appears in the backseat. There is no way he could've gotten there or that she would've missed him when she got in. You should never end your film by pissing in your audience's face.
Verdict
It is actually frustrating to watch the movie. There are some good actors involved. The film looks good, assuming you like dark, grim images. Some of the characters are interesting and there was the possibility of seeing how they interact and develop. But, it is all in service of a story that is meaningless, that is devoid of tension. It's a waste of time, resources and effort.
If all you want to see is R. Lee Ermey overacting and some good gore effects, then The Beginning might work for you. If not, then I have to say avoid at all costs.
In case you are wondering, Here's the trailer:
And, as promised, more Diora Baird than you shake your...um...a stick at. Enjoy.
And here's an interview she had with Maxim. Because we care about her thoughts and stuff.
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