In this re-working of a sleazy slasher favorite from 1978, the tenants at Lusman Arms, an aged Hollywood motel that has clearly seen much better days, are being brutally slaughtered. Nell (a likable Angela Bettis in a decent starring turn) and husband Steven (Brent Roam) are new to the building. She becomes quite wary of the place almost immediately, and becomes especially concerned when Julia (Juliet Landau, daughter of Martin), a friendly new acquaintance, disappears. Nell starts investigating the building and discovers parts of it that she didn't know existed, and before long, she's terrorized by the killer.<br /><br />Hooper returns to form with this well-made and nasty piece of work. The seedy and depressing ambiance of this run-down wreck of a building is captured quite well on film. Hooper and crew establish an ominous mood immediately and maintain it. They keep the lighting low and levels of darkness high. There's an intriguing level of mystery to the script and the killer as well. It's a true horror picture all the way through.<br /><br />The slow pacing of some scenes (as Nell goes on her "haunted house walk") may make some viewers a little impatient, but what could really disappoint them is that for the absolute brutality of the murders, levels of on-screen gore aren't as high as one might expect. (Not that there aren't some nice highlights, like the head-sawed-in-half gag.) Also, there's at least one red herring that's a little too obvious, and the clichéd ending detracts from the overall effectiveness.<br /><br />Still, the movie works as a nice combination of atmosphere, oppressiveness, and mystery. Bettis receives particularly good support from Landau, Rance Howard (father of Ron and Clint) as the aged and solicitous Chas, and Greg Travis as the expectantly sleazy landlord Byron. Sheri Moon, best known for her work in husband Rob Zombie's movies, plays an early victim.<br /><br />Proof that Hooper does still have what it takes to make a genuinely good horror film, "Toolbox Murders" delivers good chills for a solid 95 minutes.<br /><br />7/10