As two inebriated high school seniors, Buzz and Rick speed down an empty Texas highway, excited for the Texas-OU football showdown at the Dallas Cotton Bowl. Their journey is filled with mischievous pranks, including bullying an unsuspecting pickup truck driver. However, their antics grab the attention of the clever radio DJ, Vanita "Stretch" Brock, who becomes the target of their escalating antics over the airwaves. As Buzz and Rick's car phone conversations with Stretch spiral into chaos, they unwittingly find themselves entangled in a terrifying encounter with the notorious killer Leatherface.
In a shocking turn of events, Rick's firearm fails to stop Leatherface as he revs his menacing chainsaw, leading to Buzz's gruesome demise. The car subsequently crashes, resulting in Rick's death as well. As authorities arrive, they are left to unravel the shocking events that drove these seemingly innocent teens to their tragic fate.
The aftermath reveals the arrival of Lieutenant Boude "Lefty" Enright, a former Texas Ranger and the uncle of Sally and Franklin Hardesty, who once fell victim to Leatherface's brutality years ago. With a burning desire for justice, Lefty has dedicated the past 13 years to investigating mysterious chainsaw murders across Texas, and he is determined to uncover the truth behind the recent killings.
Lefty seeks out Stretch, who possesses an audio tape of the horrific attack on her show. He persuades her to air the tape during her night broadcast, hoping to awaken the public to the grim reality of Leatherface's terror and to garner support for his cause.
In his pursuit of justice, Lefty visits a local hardware store, putting the staff through a bizarre series of chainsaw tests. Initially, the store owner is taken aback by Lefty's unconventional methods, but soon finds humor in the former lawman's fervor. Afterward, Lefty heads to Stretch's radio station, requesting that she share the tape with her audience to rally public opinion and expose the dangers lurking in their midst.
Meanwhile, Drayton and his family celebrate their chili cook-off victory only to receive a frantic call from Chop Top, which disrupts their joyful moment. He sends Leatherface and Chop Top to investigate the airing of the gruesome tape. They encounter Stretch just as she tries to leave, and a brutal confrontation ensues, resulting in the death of L.G. Lou Perryman.
As Stretch is cornered by Leatherface, he prepares to deliver a fatal blow, but her charm unexpectedly spares her life. In a twist of fate, she secretly follows them back to the eerie underground lair of the Sawyer family, a haunting amusement park transformed into a grotesque sanctuary draped with human bones and relics of lost joy.
While Lefty stalks the family, armed with chainsaws, chaos ensues as he unleashes destruction upon the lair, uncovering Franklin's remains. In a grim turn of events, Stretch finds herself captured by Leatherface, who gruesomely adorns her with L.G.'s skinned face and binds her limbs, leaving her for dead. However, L.G. miraculously manages to free Stretch before meeting his own tragic end.
As the family captures Stretch, Drayton is furious to learn that she has survived, leading to a nightmarish dinner filled with torment. In a climactic moment, Lefty intervenes, rescuing Stretch from the clutches of evil. With newfound determination, Stretch makes a daring escape while being chased by Chop Top. This intense pursuit culminates in a heart-pounding chainsaw duel between Lefty and Leatherface, resulting in a bleaker fate for the latter.
In a desperate act, Drayton detonates a grenade taken from Nubbins' lifeless body, leading to the demise of himself, Lefty, Leatherface, and Grandpa. As the dust settles in this chaotic encounter, Stretch emerges victorious, standing atop a stone tower in the abandoned amusement park, her chainsaw held high from the remnants of their twisted legacy. With a triumphant scream, she relishes her hard-fought revenge against those who sought to break her spirit.
