Horror Movie Review: Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw III (1990)

After one seminal film and another beloved, it was time for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise to take a misstep. Enter Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, a bland and forgettable entry in the series.

It’s the 90’s and you can tell. Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III was directed by Jeff Burr. The film stars Kate Hodge, William Butler, Ken Foree, Tom Hudson, Viggo Mortensen, Joe Unger, and R.A. Mihailoff as Leatherface. Don’t get too excited about some of the cast names here, this far from anyone’s best work.

Subtly is out the window as the movie opens showing Leatherface killing a woman and turning her face into a mask. All while another woman watches, who will later be revealed to be the sister of Leatherface’s victim.

Forget about that for now though. Instead here is a plain couple named Michelle (Hodge) and Ryan (Butler) who stop at a gas station in Texas. There, they meet Tex (Mortensen) and he tries to talk Michelle and Ryan into giving him a lift.

Before any decision can be made, Tex catches the gas station owner spying on Michelle in the toilet and a fight ensues. The owner gets a gun, seemingly shoots Tex before Michelle and Ryan are able to escape. The word ‘seemingly’ is used because it’s pretty obvious just what is going on way before it is actually revealed.

In their desperation to escape, the couple get lost and after getting a flat tire then meet the chainsaw loving manic, Leatherface. They do manage to escape but end up hitting a car coming the other way when Tex jumps out in the road in front of them. The other driver, Benny (Foree) is mostly unharmed and the trio decide to look for Tex.

Of course, it’s not just Leatherface they will have to avoid. There’s a new family on their trail, each as vicious as the other.

A total waste of time, famously the movie was edited severely to get it a lower rating and it shows. The end result is surprisingly lacking in the gore department and it makes it feel all the more generic. Although it has to be noted that the story is so ‘meh’ that it’s highly unlikely that a ton of blood, guts and more could have saved it. At best it might have been at least passable and a tad more memorable than what we got.

There’s some enjoyment to be found here and there. Mainly from R.A. Mihailoff who is playing Leatherface with some glee and Viggo Mortensen, who does a decent villain. Yes, of course, he is a villain in this movie. You can see this twist coming a mile away.

The problem is as it goes on, the less interesting it becomes. Once we hit this film’s version of the house and meet the (extended) family, it all starts to feel frustratingly familiar. These aren’t characters you’ll care about and the lack of detail surrounding this film’s Leatherface and family just doesn’t work. Unlike the original movie, it doesn’t get your imagination rolling. It instead leaves you feeling annoyed that more effort in crafting something more memorable wasn’t done.

Is it the worst Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie? Not by a long shot but it’s one to miss if you’re thinking about working your way through the franchise.