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Hatchet
2006 84 min United States of America R 18+
★5.6
Comedy, Horror
Director: Adam Green
Trailers
Description
When a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour find themselves stranded in the wilderness, their evening of fun and spooks turns into a horrific nightmare.
Budget:
$1.5M
US Gross:
$175,281
Worldwide:
$155,873
Starring
Kane Hodder
Actor
Joel David Moore
Actor
Deon Richmond
Actor
Awards
6 wins & 1 nomination
Key opinion
Hatchet is generally regarded as a polarizing, self-aware homage to 1980s slasher films that prioritizes practical gore and genre tropes over narrative depth. While fans appreciate its unapologetic "trash-slasher" aesthetic and cameo-heavy cast, critics dismiss it as a derivative, poorly written effort that fails to balance its comedic and horror elements effectively.
| Culture | The film acts as a high-energy tribute to classic horror, successfully integrating iconic genre veterans like Kane Hodder, Robert Englund, and Tony Todd. | |
| Production | Practical gore effects are extensive, visceral, and inventive, serving as a primary highlight for horror enthusiasts. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is widely criticized for relying on weak, cliché-ridden writing and shallow, unlikable characters. | |
| Acting | The acting is generally perceived as subpar, with many characters functioning as exaggerated, unintelligent caricatures. | |
| Humor | The tone fluctuates between comedy and slasher, leading to disagreement over whether the film succeeds as a witty parody or fails as a coherent, tense horror experience. | |
| Originality | The film’s effectiveness is debated; genre loyalists find it a fun, rewatchable "trash" classic, while others see it as a cheap, poorly executed retread of established tropes. |