All Hatchet Movies Ranked (Including Victor Crowley)

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Nearly 20 years ago, Adam Green created one of the true icons of modern horror when he introduced the world to Victory Crowley in 2006’s “Hatchet.” A lean, mean and unabashedly bloody showcase of gory practical effects helped the film stand out, leading to three sequels over the next decade and changes.

Led by horror legend Kane Hodder as Victor Crowley, Green produced a series of uncompromising grindhouse follow-ups that helped establish him in the slasher genre. While these films were never as mainstream as the “Friday the 13th” or “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” films, they offered something unique in the horror landscape of the 2000s. They felt grimy, cheesy and otherwise shocking. To this day, they exist as a testament to what can be accomplished with relatively minimal resources and a spirit of vibrant independent filmmaking.

But which of these films stands out above the rest? Which of these films allowed Victor Crowley to remain an unforgettable slasher alongside Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers? Which of these bloody swampside murder festivals reigns supreme? We’re going to rank all four “Hatchet” films, including 2017’s “Victor Crowley,” from worst to best. Let’s go.

I should probably start by saying that, for those who love this brand of over-the-top slasher film, there isn’t a bad film in this franchise. That said, by the time BJ McDonnell replaced Adam Green to direct “Hatchet III,” it was clear that the property was going in circles a bit. There are still plenty of great wins and Victor even gets to join a strike team this time around. Even so, it seems lesser than its predecessors and its eventual fourth installment.

The film picks up after Marybeth (Danielle Harris) seemingly kills Crowley for good and finds herself at odds with a local police officer (Zach Galligan) who tries to get to the bottom of the bloodshed. Marybeth then teams up with the cop’s ex-wife to put an end to the deadly rampage once and for all.

Green was still very involved this time around, and it shows, from the script to the execution. When the blood flows, it’s as if we never left the swamp. We also have Galligan (the star of “Gremlins”) and “Friday the 13th” (2009) leading Derek Mears into action, adding even more genre stars to this franchise’s already impressive roster.

However much fun there is to be had in this bout of brutality, “Hatchet III” feels like it’s most out of ideas before reaching its conclusion, which sees Crowley put to rest after years trapped in his strange, swampy purgatory. It’s all a bit disappointing and seems like more of the same, which often happens when slasher franchises, in particular, can get stuck in the muck. While this resolves Marybeth’s character arc and delivers some very memorable victories (hello, defibrillator to the head), more doesn’t equal better in this case.

“Hatchet II” is more akin to “Halloween II” than, say, “Aliens.” That is to say, there was no need to go further to improve what came before. Rather, it’s a direct continuation of the events of the first “Hatchet,” giving the audience more of what they want while allowing Green to exercise his skills with a little more confidence. From increasing the sense of fun to convincing scream queen Danielle Harris to reprise the role of Marybeth, this film proved that “Hatchet” deserved to be a franchise rather than a one-off franchise.

The sequel sees Marybeth learn the truth about her family’s connection to Victor Crowley as she returns to the swamps of Louisiana with an army of hunters to recover the bodies of her loved ones. It also features “Candyman” legend Tony Todd as Reverend Voodoo, adding more horror legacy star power to the action.

It would be easy to argue that “Hatchet II” is at least as good as its predecessor, and many would probably say it’s better. It’s truly a toss-up, and it’s a testament to Green’s execution. That’s where Hodder, a man who also played Jason, Freddy, and Leatherface, made sure he was going to add another enduring slasher to his accomplished resume. From the most over-the-top practical gore to the biggest chainsaw you’ll ever see, there’s a lot to love here.

In an era where “Terrifier” is becoming a mainstream franchise, it seems silly that “Hatchet II” was pulled from theaters upon its original release. Rather a badge of honor and a testament to Green’s commitment to making these films his way, it says everything you need to know about this sequel. It goes hard and is a lot of fun in the process.

By 2006, horror had been engulfed by torture porn, thanks in large part to the success of 2004’s “Saw.” But not all gore films are created equal. Films like “Hostel” exist as an endurance test for audiences. Green, meanwhile, decided to create something even bloodier while existing on the opposite end of the spectrum with “Hatchet.” It is not a punishing experience but rather, for sufferers, a joyfully disgusting ride with a high death toll. This film still stands in stark contrast to what the genre seemed to be like at the time.

The film follows students Ben (Joel David Moore) and Marcus (Deon Richmond) as they visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras. There, they join an eclectic group of unsuspecting tourists to take a boat trip to a supposedly cursed bayou, only to discover that the curse is very real. Let the bodies hit the ground, so to speak.

If we were to rank the victims of the “Hatchet” franchise, it’s likely that Victor ripping the head off one of the tourists here with his bare hands would be at the top of that list. It’s a brilliant moment. At a time when many horror classics were being remade or rebooted, Green championed originality and bringing something new to the world. Despite the limitations of a shoestring budget, he’s created something that deserves to be enduring in the greater slasher canon. cheesy and relentless, this film still feels like a hidden punk rock horror gem that one might have found in the back of a video store in the heyday of Blockbuster.

A franchise was born from the blood shed in favor of this little film. Yet if that was the only thing that came out, it would still be a bloodstained treasure.

It’s rare for a franchise to peak with its fourth entry, but here we are. When Adam Green secretly filmed a fourth “Hatchet” film and announced its release in 2017, the buzz was palpable among horror fans. The title of this film, “Victor Crowley”, says a lot about the title character’s rise to prominence as a renowned slasher figure. “Victor Crowley is back!” it felt like it was a big deal. What made the deal even bigger was the fact that Green delivered.

“Victor Crowley” picks up a decade after the Honey Island Swamp Massacre in Louisiana. Andrew (Parry Shen) is now the sole survivor, but his claims that Victor was responsible for the horrific massacre are met with skepticism. That is, until a plane crashes with a ragtag group of strangers into the swamp and, surprise! Victor is resurrected by mistake. Carnage ensues.

In the same way that “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives” is often considered the best film in this franchise, this film feels like a similar victory lap for the scrappy little slasher property that could make it. You can feel Hodder’s confidence and joy beneath all that impressive makeup. “Victor Crowley” itself is both funny and deliciously ridiculous. This completely changes the formula, with rewarding results. It’s also the opposite of “Hatchet III” in that it feels like Green really had an idea worth executing here.

While still a low-budget affair, everything about this film feels bigger. Green is the most confident behind the camera, Hodder really settles into Victor’s skin, and the franchise’s human cast is the most fun it’s ever been. “Victor Crowley” feels like the mission statement of the “Hatchet” films perfected.

You can grab “Hatchet” on Blu-ray from Amazon.