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Film: Butcher’s Book Two: Raghorn
Year: 2023
Director: Adrian Langley
Writers: Kolin Casagrande and Adrian Langley
Starring: Michael Swatton, Nick Biskupek and Sam Huntsman
Review:
This was a movie seeing the title, I wondered if it was a sequel. I learned after viewing that it is. The movie Butchers precedes it. This is just a sequel in name only though, so they don’t need to be viewed together. I luckily got to see this for its World premiere as well.
Synopsis: when a group of kidnappers run into an accident on a back road. They find something even more terrifying lurking in the woods.
We start this off setting the tone. There is a young woman trying to escape through the woods. The problem is that there are two brothers who live here. There is a large one that is powerful named Crusher (Michael Swatton). The other is Clyde (Nick Biskupek) who is the brains of the operation. He’s also might be more sadistic.
It then shifts over to a group in a car. Brian (Dave Coleman) is driving and he’s ornery. With him is his girlfriend, Sarah (Hollie Kennedy), her cousin Josh (Sam Huntsman) and Ricky. They are taking a back road, hoping to avoid trouble. They stop off at a gas station where the local sheriff shows up. Brian doesn’t trust this group and questions the cousins when they return. He thinks they tipped the sheriff off.
Their fortunes don’t get any better when they crash into an elk down the road. This impales Brian and Ricky decides what to do. Things continue to get complicated when a driver shows up to help, but Josh tips him off. We see the reason for the tension is there is a kidnapped woman in the trunk. This group heads into the woods to get away and that’s where the nightmare truly begins. Clyde takes them hostage and they go back to the cabin. Sarah does what she can to get away, but Clyde has much more sinister plans for them.
That is where I’m going to leave my recap and introduction to the characters. We don’t have the deepest story here, but we also don’t need it. It needs just tnough to get our group into the woods. It is funny that during the Q and A after the movie, people have told co-writer/director Adrian Langley that this reminds people of Wrong Turn. I got that vibe. He did state that Deliverance and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as being influences. Both of those make sense. I also felt like we got a bit of Mother’s Day, the original from 1980. This last one just with how brutal and depraved Clyde is. There are also two brothers doing what we’re seeing as well.
All that should give you an idea of what we’re getting here. This is an exploitation film with where things go. I dug that. Delving deeper, you could say that this is a hixploitation with who our killers are. This doesn’t shy away from the fact that they’re psychopaths. Crusher is the muscle and he’s powerful. Clyde is still scarier to me with the lengths he will go. The Texas Chain Saw idea also goes deeper with why they’re keeping characters alive.
I’d also say that we’re getting shades of a slasher film as well. Now for me, we either need good characters or kills. If you get both, even better. The kills and effects are what make this movie. There is an extremely cringey scene with Josh. I didn’t expect them to go where they did. Going with that, Crusher does what his name implies to a head. This isn’t the most graphic though. Keep that in mind. They do cuts and show aftereffects. This is just as effective in my opinion. The blood and gore is on point. Credit to the cinematography as well to hide what you need to. Since I’m discussing filmmaking, I’ll say that the soundtrack fit what was needed.
Then let me delve into the characters. They aren’t necessarily fleshed out the best, but we also don’t need them to be. The best performance is Biskupek. He is so creepy. I’m usually a fan of the villain so that probably plays into it. He is a menace for sure. Swatton has a good look for his character. He is a hulking presence which is what is needed. I thought that Huntsman worked as this ‘good guy’. He is still part of the group that kidnapped the victim. He tries to do the right thing. The most manipulative is Kennedy. I liked that dynamic. The acting is solid across the board, giving credit to Coleman as well as the actor who played Ricky.
There isn’t much more to go into except that I love the isolated location of this cabin. That makes it scarier especially since the villains know the woods better than the victims. In conclusion, this is a solid modern hixploitation film. I love how brutal it is. The filmmaking is strategic there to hide what wouldn’t look good. I think that the acting is good as well, especially from Biskupek. This won’t be for everyone. I thought though that this was a solid, modern slasher that goes brutal when it needs to. Just keep that in mind when deciding to see this or not.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10