''Hacksaw'' is a 2020 found footage

horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction **Psychological horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Christmas horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Analog horror, a subgenre of horror fiction * ...

slasher film A slasher film is a subgenre of horror films involving a killer or a group of killers stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as a generic ...

written and directed by Anthony Leone in his feature film debut. The film stars Amy Cay,

Brian Patrick Butler Brian Patrick Butler is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He is known for writing and directing the film ''Friend of the World'' (2020), writing and performing in the film ''Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea ...

, Michael C. Burgess and

Cortney Palm Cortney Nacole Palm (born February 20, 1987) is an American actress who appeared in the films '' Zombeavers'', '' The Dark Tapes'' and '' Sushi Girl''. Early life Palm was born on February 20, 1987, in Castle Rock, Colorado. In 2001, she won a ...

Plot

A traveling young couple on a

road trip A road trip, sometimes spelled roadtrip, is a long-distance Travel, journey traveled by a car or a motorcycle. History First road trips by automobile The world's first recorded long-distance road trip by the automobile took place in German Em ...

venture into an abandoned building where a

serial killer A serial killer (also called a serial murderer) is a person who murders three or more people,An offender can be anyone: * * * * * (This source only requires two people) with the killings taking place over a significant period of time in separat ...

once tortured their victims.

Cast

Production

The feature film

directorial debut This is a list of film directorial debuts in chronological order. The films and dates referred to are a director's first commercial cinematic release. Many filmmakers have directed works which were not commercially released, for example early work ...

for Leone, who was also cinematographer, editor, writer and producer. Leone gave thanks credit to

Tobe Hooper Willard Tobe Hooper (; January 25, 1943 – August 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker, best known for his work in the horror film, horror genre. The British Film Institute cited Hooper as one of the most influential horror filmmakers of al ...

and

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...

, noting influence of the film came from ''

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' is a 1974 American independent horror film produced, co-composed, and directed by Tobe Hooper, who co-wrote it with Kim Henkel. The film stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, an ...

'' and ''

Easy Rider ''Easy Rider'' is a 1969 American road drama film written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern. It was produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. Fonda and Hopper play two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and the S ...

''. The film was shot in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

Gray Area Multimedia Luke Anthony Pensabene is an American film actor, film producer, cinematographer, and United States Marine Corps veteran. He appeared in the films ''Fletcher and Jenks'' (2016), ''The Phantom Hour'' (2016), and produced the films ''South of 8'' ...

with only

practical effects In filmmaking a practical effect is a special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post-production techniques. In some contexts, "special effect" is used as a synonym of "practical effect", in contrast to "vi ...

and most of the time, a three person crew.

Release

''Hacksaw'' premiered on February 15, 2020, at Monsters of Horror International Film Festival. It was distributed on

video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films Digital distribution, digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typica ...

by Midnight Releasing on January 5, 2021.

Reception

The film won Best Slasher Film at Monsters of Horror International Film Festival.

Critical response

''Midnight Horror Show'' scored it 3 out of 5 claiming the runtime was too short, though the plot was interesting. Michael Therkelsen at ''Horror Society'' gave it a 6 out of 10, stating that the "

special effects Special effects (often abbreviated as F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the fictional events in a story or virtual world. ...

and scenes of torture" save the movie, adding "It’s a romp in an

abandoned building In law, abandonment is the relinquishment, giving up, or renunciation of an interest, claim, privilege, possession, civil proceedings, appeal, or right, especially with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting it. Such intentional acti ...

filled with

torture porn A splatter film is a subgenre of horror films that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of wikt:gore, gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the hu ...

and sizable talent." AJ Friar at ''Infamous Horrors'' gave it 3 out of 5 stating that it is a unique film but the script could be tighter. Dante Yurei of ''10th Circle'' scored it 4 out of 10, claiming it will get the "attention of gorehounds." David Garrett at ''Dark Discussions'' said most of the story was boring and needed more development scoring it 3.5 out of 10. ''Bloodbath and Beyond'' gave the film 1 out of 5. Jim Morazzini at ''Voices From The Balcony'' scored it a 1 out of 5 calling it a "torture porn"

splatter film A splatter film is a subgenre of horror films that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the human body a ...

and that "feels like a bad attempt at a

Rob Zombie Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965), known professionally as Rob Zombie, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live show ...

film." Andrew Welsh scored it an F, claiming "you won’t find any

low budget A low-budget film or low-budget movie is a motion picture shot with little to no funding from a major film studio or private investor. Many independent films are made on low budgets, but films made on the mainstream circuit with inexperienced o ...

, indie horror movie charm here." ''FilmTv'' said it had disastrous direction which simulates the terrible

mockumentary A mockumentary (a portmanteau of ''mock'' and ''documentary'') is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a Documentary film, documentary. Mockumentaries are often used to analyze or comment on current event ...

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 2020 directorial debut films 2020 films 2020 horror films 2020 independent films 2020s mockumentary films 2020s road movies 2020s serial killer films 2020s slasher films American independent films American road movies American serial killer films American slasher films American splatter films Camcorder films Crime horror films English-language horror films Films about murder Films about snuff films Films about violence against women Films set in abandoned buildings and structures Films set in San Diego Films shot in San Diego Mumblecore films Found footage films Splatterpunk Films about torture Works about fictional serial killers Films directed by Anthony Leone Films produced by Luke Pensabene