I love horror films and one of my all-time favorite franchises are Adam Green’s Hatchet films. Back in October while celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the original it was announced that a fourth entry titled Victor Crowley was being released featuring the always awesome Kane Hodder back as Crowley, creator Adam Green has returned to the director’s chair along with returning survivor Perry Shen. In addition the film stars Laura Ortiz (2006's The Hills Have Eyes), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), and Brian Quinn (truTV's "Impractical Jokers"), but does it live up to the previous chapters of the series or should it have been left in the swamps?

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​In the latest chapter, forty-nine people were brutally torn to pieces in Louisiana's Honey Island Swamp in 2007. Over the past decade, lone survivor Andrew Yong's claims that local legend Victor Crowley was responsible for the horrific massacre have been met with great controversy, but when a twist of fate puts him back at the scene of the tragedy, Crowley is mistakenly resurrected and Yong must face the bloodthirsty ghost from his past. To say this film works is an understatement. It brings all the fun and gore that fans have come to expect while setting the tone of a new direction of the series. From the opening scene you know you are in for some fun and it works on every level. There is a clear passion packed into this film and Green has once again cemented himself as a master of his craft.

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There is so much to love here from the great new and inventive kills to the sheer silliness of the laughs all jam packed with things that will no doubt make the hardcore fans of the Green universe smile from ear to ear. Kane Hodder has brought his usual menacing take to the now iconic Crowley but there is something different about it him this time around. He is just as menacing and brutal, but there is a more methodical approach to some of his menace that makes the character all the more terrifying in the best way possible. The cast were great offering up all the fun and laughs you want in these films complete with silly one-liners and ridiculous behavior.

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I am keeping the review aspect to this film short and sweet because I not only do not want to spoil anything, but think that everyone should get the chance to experience this film like I did with little other than the trailer going in. If you haven’t seen it already I would almost say skip the trailer as well so you are fully slapped in the face by the bloody awesomeness of it all. Both Green and Crowley are now full on icons of horror whether they want to be or not and I can only hope that this is the official start to more Crowley in our future, but only time will tell. Stay through the credits for more fun as with most films these days, but also to see the most appropriate tag dedicating this film to Wes Craven and George R. Romero that was a perfect cap to this perfect bloody good time.

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In addition to the film this release offers up some great behind the scenes featurettes to see how they brought the latest blood soaked chapter of the Hatchet franchise to life. Return to the swamp and check out the latest chapter of the bloody franchise with Victor Crowley available now on VOD, Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD from Dark Sky Films.