while the name of tobe hooper do not carry the cachet it once do and he still deserve his place amongst the modern master of horror with the like of romero and argento and craven and and cronenberg . hooper and have never be able to equal the raw energy and success of the texas chainsaw massacre . and never be able to do so in the future . definitely have regain his form with this version of the toolbox murder . on the surface i think i be go to sit through some lame rehashing of an old horror film and but i find myself pleasantly surprise with this high energy and suspenseful and stylish and well acted film . evil lurks in the old and dilapidated lusman arm and an aging apartment building in severe disrepair with renovation abound all over . the film open with a rainy evening and a blonde woman get the point of the film hammer into her skull . next and we meet a young couple move into the apartment building . beautiful and talented angela bettis play the protagonist of the film a a woman who realize people be disappear around her and that the lusman arm have some major secret as well a a demented killer hidden in it wall . much of the film involve her unraveling of the arm secret and though no full explanation a to how the black art be incorporate be ever explain . the film be tightly weave from begin to end by the consummate work of hooper who know how to use the camera and get the most from a largely unknown cast . the actor be pepper with some movie veteran such a rance howard give one heck of a good performance a a man that have live there virtually his whole life and juliet landau a a run girl head for trouble and and the wonderful greg travis a the guy in charge of the apartment . travis have me in stitch with his dialog about the charm of old place like this and etc . hooper work with some interesting and inventive and and implausible storyline and but he make the most of it . here and there hooper play homage to others and like the scene where bettis and husband find old teeth in the wall . an obvious salute to roman polanski the tenant . while not a great film and the toolbox murder delivers . it show just enough blood without go overboard and have just enough humour in it to balance the unpleasantness of the plot . i be pleasantly surprise on all count .