The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning serves as a prequel to the 2003 remake, and therein lies the problem. Before shipping out to Viet Nam two brothers and their girlfriends go on a road trip and end up being preyed upon by a family that has come upon hard times and has resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. With the ending being a forgone conclusion, there’s no real suspense or mystery. Still, the cast features some impressive actors, including Jordana Brewster, Matt Bomer, and R. Lee Ermey, and they deliver fairly strong performances. Additionally, some of the action scenes are pretty intense. But the overemphasis on gore and the futility of the characters’ struggle hurts the film. While some of the backstory is interesting, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning delivers the same formulaic tripe that the previous films dished out.