Being a massive cinephile, I thought it might be, for lack of a better word, "fun" to watch all 12 FRIDAY THE 13th films
in a row and give some brief thoughts about them. I'm including FREDDY
VS. JASON and the 2009 Remake as part of the series because I'm a
glutton for punishment.
Now mind you, I have seen each one of these at least a half dozen times or more, so when watching them this time, I tried my best to approach the movies as if it were my first time seeing them. These are not meant to be heavy critical analysis of the films, they are simply fast and easy impressions to give you a quick review of their merit (or lack of).
FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
I wouldn't call FRIDAY THE 13th a seminal film, but it certainly is one of the most influential in the 80's slasher genre. The thing that struck me most about this viewing was that the movie holds up better than I typically give it credit. It actually has a discernable plot with naturalistic characters that behave in a sensible manner. They arm and defend themselves and desperately try to survive and I found nothing egregious about how they behaved which lends some credibility to the fairly standard plotting.
Camp Crystal Lake is going to reopen after years of laying dormant due to a number of deaths that have haunted the place over the last decade. Having been dubbed "Camp Blood" by the locals, no one in the town wants to be reminded of the murders that have blighted their once peaceful hamlet.
But ignoring the warning, Steve has enlisted a throng of nubile young teenagers (including a young Kevin Bacon!) to finish it up. One by one the counselors are sliced and diced by a mystery killer in increasingly brutal and gory ways leaving just one to defend herself against the crazed lunatic. All in all, FRIDAY THE 13th is a decent film and worth seeing if you are a fan of horror and appreciate movies that have contributed to the genre over the decades. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH - PART 2 (1981)
I'm a little flummoxed by how to exactly review PART 2. There really isn't a plot to discuss. For it being 86 minutes long, 6 of those minutes are a recap of footage from the first film via a nightmare that lone survivor Alice is having.
Once she is killed, the rest of the movie is just lambs to the slaughter, this time taking place at a "Camp Blood" adjacent, counselor training facility. All the characters are generic and one by one they get dispatched. This time the killer is Jason, crazed for revenge for the decapitation of his mother.
The few things that PART 2 has going for it is that the characters are still believable as actual human beings and it's well shot with some honest to goodness visual flair. Steve Miner has a good eye for iconic shots and PART 2 has many of the ones most associated with the series. It's brisk and doesn't ask much from the audience but surprisingly the gore is not as graphic as you'd expect with many of the kill moments happening off screen or beyond the frame. GRADE: 3 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH - PART 3 3D (1982)
If PART 2 dispensed with the need for a story, PART 3 dispensed with the need for characters. They've been reduced to caricatures at this point and any semblance of caring for them has been slashed from the film.
There's not much to say plotwise. New people come to Crystal Lake. Jason kills them. The only good that came from this movie is that Jason finally gets his iconic hockey mask. Yes, FRIDAY THE 13th newbies, Jason didn't get his mask until the 3rd movie! Of course how he gets it makes absolutely no sense.
The make-up FX are quite well done here and Jason is menacing as his character continues to take shape over the course of the series. But it seems that the only reason this movie exists is apparently for the 3D gimmick, which is just that, a gimmick. GRADE: 2 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART IV: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)
With a more polished look and presumably a higher budget, PART IV is erroneously called "The Final Chapter." Of the early films, I enjoy this one the most for the mere fact that they pull out all the stops as far as gore and... ahem... nudity.
Once again, there's not much of a plot once the movie gets going. Line 'em up, so Jason can knock 'em down. That about sums it up. At least there was an attempt to humanize the characters; giving a few of them a backstory. Most of the drama centers around your typical teenage angst of "will I or won't I get laid before the maniac chops me into tiny bits."
Make-Up F/X gore-master Tom Savini, returns to the series to see the killer off in a blaze of glory. The F/X are particularly bloody in this entry and some of the best of the series. When Jason is finally unmasked, he truly is a vision of horror and his "death" is fitting and equally grisly. A step forward for the fading series and certainly one of the best it has to offer (which isn't saying much). GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART V: A NEW BEGINNING (1985)
The 5th entry in the FRIDAY THE 13th series is just plain dreadful and I don't mean that in a good way. Jason is dead having been dispatched in PART IV. But Tommy Jarvis is still haunted by the events of that fateful night. People start dying at the group home he's living at and they are being dispatched by a hockey-masked killer! But Jason is dead?! Has Tommy taken up the mantle?
Whatever cleverness this premise could have had evaporates after the first 15 minutes. Tommy is logically never really a suspect and when the killer is ultimately revealed it is so laughably obvious. On top of that he has absolutely no discernable motive for why he's killing just about anyone who appears on screen. He kills more random people than those who supposedly deserve it. At least Jason had an agenda.
What's even more irritating is that most of the violence is off-screen. There are barely any of the make-up FX that are the hallmark of the series and it gets tedious watching the umpteenth person get their throat sliced or just bloodlessly stabbed. For those who like nudity, it seems like there are more naked breasts in this movie than the others combined... and that's the only reason I'm giving this film half a reel. GRADE:0.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VI: JASON LIVES (1986)
By far one of the more entertaining FRIDAY THE 13th movies, PART VI is brisk and breezy and it has a sense of fun that is lacking from any of the previous entries. Directed by Tom McLoughlin (ONE DARK NIGHT), it also is one of the slickest looking of the series with some true visual flair in the overall production design and editing.
Though it contains a number of tropes from the previous entries, McLoughin has made them seem fresh and exciting. The make-up FX are top-notch and clever and unlike the other films so far, PART VI doesn't rely on cheap thrills and nudity to keep the audience engaged. It actually tries to tell a story that has a real story arc and some real stakes.
I don't want to over sell the film, it's still a FRIDAY THE 13th movie, but it's rather charming and reminds me in many ways of what Wes Craven did with the SCREAM films a decade later. There is a certain self-referential feel as well as a wink and a nod that the movie is here to entertain as well as scare. JASON LIVES is a worthy effort that injects new life into the franchise. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1988)
THE NEW BLOOD has always had a soft spot in my heart because Jason finally became fully realized as a character thanks to a truly intense physical performance by Kane Hodder. The stuntman would become a fan favorite and reprise the role 3 more times creating a real presence and continuity for Jason, something a film series like this needed.
Unlike the previous entry, which took the series in a more self-referential direction, PART VII brought it back to its horror roots but with a new twist. Tina, the main character, has telekinetic powers (ala CARRIE), which she uses to defend herself against the masked killer.
Directed by Make-Up FX wizard John Carl Buechler, THE NEW BLOOD is well-paced and enjoyable. It also features some of the best FX in the entire series. Especially Jason. He has never looked better and this design still remains the best and most iconic. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (1989)
WTF?! JASON TAKES MANHATTAN contains some of the sketchiest acting in the series, sub-par Make-up FX and barely any nudity. The "plot" involves a gaggle of High School seniors taking a cruise to New York City as a celebration of their recent graduation but surprise, most of them are killed by Jason in case you actually cared.
What's most egregious is that it's also the longest entry at 100min! Skip this one. I suffered through it for you. Your welcome. GRADE:0.5 REELS
JASON GOES TO HELL - THE FINAL FRIDAY (1993)
New Line Cinema took over the FRIDAY THE 13th franchise with JASON GOES TO HELL. It was met with great optimism that "The House that Freddy built" would give the series a much needed kick in the butt and really give fans what they wanted.
Unfortunately that wasn't to be. What we got was this very confused and ultimately unsatisfying entry into the series. I give it credit as being the most heavily plotted of the entire series, but the plot is so muddled and convoluted that it's a real head-scratcher. To make matters worse Jason is barely in the film.
It just gets tedious after awhile and for a movie that revels in some extreme nastiness; there are scenes that feel like they're from a 80's teen comedy. Like the poster image, JASON GOES TO HELL is a "hot mess." GRADE: 1.5 (out of 5)
JASON X (2001)
Call me crazy, but I really enjoyed watching JASON X. With its tongue firmly in its cheek, it's not only fun, but also it's well made. Directed by James Isaacs, it has great visual FX as well as some of the best Make-up FX in the entire series.
With a peppy script by Todd Farmer, the story is utterly preposterous (Jason in space!), but maintains logic within its world. I can't fault a movie that just goes for it like JASON X does. The film is very clever at times and maintains a decent pace that never lets up.
The characters are pretty much your genre stereotypes, but they somehow manage to rise above the material and make you care that at least a few of them survive. Played by Kane Hodder for a fourth time, Jason is pretty badass in both his "classic" appearance and then as the nano-upgraded "über-Jason" who could give The Terminator a run for his money. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)
It took a great many years to get the two titans of horror to battle one another on screen but the filmmakers finally got it together and we got FREDDY vs. JASON. For obvious reasons, I want to like this movie and it does have some good aspects. Unfortunately, the bad ones weigh it down.
My big problem with the film is the human characters. They are vapid and uninteresting and their motivations are all over the place.
I'll give the film points for its style and pacing and the fight sequences really deliver. Energetically directed by Hong Kong's Ronny Yu, the clash of the titans lives up to the expectations of the title and there is more spurting blood than you could ever want from a movie like this.
The movie is worth watching just for the sheer audacity of it and the epic battle is quite entertaining. It's just a shame that the rest of the movie couldn't have lived up to the potential. GRADE: 3 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13th (2009)
What starts out with some real potential, quickly descends into nothingness, as the FRIDAY THE 13TH remake becomes another bloody smear on an already battered franchise. Mind you, I was quite excited to see this because I felt Director Marcus Nispel did a respectable job revamping THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003). But alas, this greatly pales in comparison.
The opening of the film is basically a retelling of FRIDAY THE 13th Parts 1 & 2 and for the most part is rather effective. But once the opening title fades, so does any hope for a good film.
The movie looks great, shot by horror vet Daniel Pearl, but unfortunately that just further puts focus on what a missed opportunity this remake was. I honestly hoped that this would be the quintessential FRIDAY THE 13th movie and this time they'd get it right, unfortunately it's one of the worst of the series and we become Jason's true victims. GRADE: 2 (out of 5)
So there you have it. 12 Movies. 12 Reviews. I hope you enjoyed this new insight into a classic series that keeps chugging along. As of the writing of this article, a sequel to the 2009 remake is in the works and it's said to be a found-footage movie. I'm sure I'll be first in line when it comes out.
Now mind you, I have seen each one of these at least a half dozen times or more, so when watching them this time, I tried my best to approach the movies as if it were my first time seeing them. These are not meant to be heavy critical analysis of the films, they are simply fast and easy impressions to give you a quick review of their merit (or lack of).
FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
I wouldn't call FRIDAY THE 13th a seminal film, but it certainly is one of the most influential in the 80's slasher genre. The thing that struck me most about this viewing was that the movie holds up better than I typically give it credit. It actually has a discernable plot with naturalistic characters that behave in a sensible manner. They arm and defend themselves and desperately try to survive and I found nothing egregious about how they behaved which lends some credibility to the fairly standard plotting.
Camp Crystal Lake is going to reopen after years of laying dormant due to a number of deaths that have haunted the place over the last decade. Having been dubbed "Camp Blood" by the locals, no one in the town wants to be reminded of the murders that have blighted their once peaceful hamlet.
But ignoring the warning, Steve has enlisted a throng of nubile young teenagers (including a young Kevin Bacon!) to finish it up. One by one the counselors are sliced and diced by a mystery killer in increasingly brutal and gory ways leaving just one to defend herself against the crazed lunatic. All in all, FRIDAY THE 13th is a decent film and worth seeing if you are a fan of horror and appreciate movies that have contributed to the genre over the decades. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH - PART 2 (1981)
I'm a little flummoxed by how to exactly review PART 2. There really isn't a plot to discuss. For it being 86 minutes long, 6 of those minutes are a recap of footage from the first film via a nightmare that lone survivor Alice is having.
Once she is killed, the rest of the movie is just lambs to the slaughter, this time taking place at a "Camp Blood" adjacent, counselor training facility. All the characters are generic and one by one they get dispatched. This time the killer is Jason, crazed for revenge for the decapitation of his mother.
The few things that PART 2 has going for it is that the characters are still believable as actual human beings and it's well shot with some honest to goodness visual flair. Steve Miner has a good eye for iconic shots and PART 2 has many of the ones most associated with the series. It's brisk and doesn't ask much from the audience but surprisingly the gore is not as graphic as you'd expect with many of the kill moments happening off screen or beyond the frame. GRADE: 3 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH - PART 3 3D (1982)
If PART 2 dispensed with the need for a story, PART 3 dispensed with the need for characters. They've been reduced to caricatures at this point and any semblance of caring for them has been slashed from the film.
There's not much to say plotwise. New people come to Crystal Lake. Jason kills them. The only good that came from this movie is that Jason finally gets his iconic hockey mask. Yes, FRIDAY THE 13th newbies, Jason didn't get his mask until the 3rd movie! Of course how he gets it makes absolutely no sense.
The make-up FX are quite well done here and Jason is menacing as his character continues to take shape over the course of the series. But it seems that the only reason this movie exists is apparently for the 3D gimmick, which is just that, a gimmick. GRADE: 2 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART IV: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)
With a more polished look and presumably a higher budget, PART IV is erroneously called "The Final Chapter." Of the early films, I enjoy this one the most for the mere fact that they pull out all the stops as far as gore and... ahem... nudity.
Once again, there's not much of a plot once the movie gets going. Line 'em up, so Jason can knock 'em down. That about sums it up. At least there was an attempt to humanize the characters; giving a few of them a backstory. Most of the drama centers around your typical teenage angst of "will I or won't I get laid before the maniac chops me into tiny bits."
Make-Up F/X gore-master Tom Savini, returns to the series to see the killer off in a blaze of glory. The F/X are particularly bloody in this entry and some of the best of the series. When Jason is finally unmasked, he truly is a vision of horror and his "death" is fitting and equally grisly. A step forward for the fading series and certainly one of the best it has to offer (which isn't saying much). GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART V: A NEW BEGINNING (1985)
The 5th entry in the FRIDAY THE 13th series is just plain dreadful and I don't mean that in a good way. Jason is dead having been dispatched in PART IV. But Tommy Jarvis is still haunted by the events of that fateful night. People start dying at the group home he's living at and they are being dispatched by a hockey-masked killer! But Jason is dead?! Has Tommy taken up the mantle?
Whatever cleverness this premise could have had evaporates after the first 15 minutes. Tommy is logically never really a suspect and when the killer is ultimately revealed it is so laughably obvious. On top of that he has absolutely no discernable motive for why he's killing just about anyone who appears on screen. He kills more random people than those who supposedly deserve it. At least Jason had an agenda.
What's even more irritating is that most of the violence is off-screen. There are barely any of the make-up FX that are the hallmark of the series and it gets tedious watching the umpteenth person get their throat sliced or just bloodlessly stabbed. For those who like nudity, it seems like there are more naked breasts in this movie than the others combined... and that's the only reason I'm giving this film half a reel. GRADE:0.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VI: JASON LIVES (1986)
By far one of the more entertaining FRIDAY THE 13th movies, PART VI is brisk and breezy and it has a sense of fun that is lacking from any of the previous entries. Directed by Tom McLoughlin (ONE DARK NIGHT), it also is one of the slickest looking of the series with some true visual flair in the overall production design and editing.
Though it contains a number of tropes from the previous entries, McLoughin has made them seem fresh and exciting. The make-up FX are top-notch and clever and unlike the other films so far, PART VI doesn't rely on cheap thrills and nudity to keep the audience engaged. It actually tries to tell a story that has a real story arc and some real stakes.
I don't want to over sell the film, it's still a FRIDAY THE 13th movie, but it's rather charming and reminds me in many ways of what Wes Craven did with the SCREAM films a decade later. There is a certain self-referential feel as well as a wink and a nod that the movie is here to entertain as well as scare. JASON LIVES is a worthy effort that injects new life into the franchise. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1988)
THE NEW BLOOD has always had a soft spot in my heart because Jason finally became fully realized as a character thanks to a truly intense physical performance by Kane Hodder. The stuntman would become a fan favorite and reprise the role 3 more times creating a real presence and continuity for Jason, something a film series like this needed.
Unlike the previous entry, which took the series in a more self-referential direction, PART VII brought it back to its horror roots but with a new twist. Tina, the main character, has telekinetic powers (ala CARRIE), which she uses to defend herself against the masked killer.
Directed by Make-Up FX wizard John Carl Buechler, THE NEW BLOOD is well-paced and enjoyable. It also features some of the best FX in the entire series. Especially Jason. He has never looked better and this design still remains the best and most iconic. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13TH, PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (1989)
WTF?! JASON TAKES MANHATTAN contains some of the sketchiest acting in the series, sub-par Make-up FX and barely any nudity. The "plot" involves a gaggle of High School seniors taking a cruise to New York City as a celebration of their recent graduation but surprise, most of them are killed by Jason in case you actually cared.
What's most egregious is that it's also the longest entry at 100min! Skip this one. I suffered through it for you. Your welcome. GRADE:0.5 REELS
JASON GOES TO HELL - THE FINAL FRIDAY (1993)
New Line Cinema took over the FRIDAY THE 13th franchise with JASON GOES TO HELL. It was met with great optimism that "The House that Freddy built" would give the series a much needed kick in the butt and really give fans what they wanted.
Unfortunately that wasn't to be. What we got was this very confused and ultimately unsatisfying entry into the series. I give it credit as being the most heavily plotted of the entire series, but the plot is so muddled and convoluted that it's a real head-scratcher. To make matters worse Jason is barely in the film.
It just gets tedious after awhile and for a movie that revels in some extreme nastiness; there are scenes that feel like they're from a 80's teen comedy. Like the poster image, JASON GOES TO HELL is a "hot mess." GRADE: 1.5 (out of 5)
JASON X (2001)
Call me crazy, but I really enjoyed watching JASON X. With its tongue firmly in its cheek, it's not only fun, but also it's well made. Directed by James Isaacs, it has great visual FX as well as some of the best Make-up FX in the entire series.
With a peppy script by Todd Farmer, the story is utterly preposterous (Jason in space!), but maintains logic within its world. I can't fault a movie that just goes for it like JASON X does. The film is very clever at times and maintains a decent pace that never lets up.
The characters are pretty much your genre stereotypes, but they somehow manage to rise above the material and make you care that at least a few of them survive. Played by Kane Hodder for a fourth time, Jason is pretty badass in both his "classic" appearance and then as the nano-upgraded "über-Jason" who could give The Terminator a run for his money. GRADE: 3.5 (out of 5)
FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)
It took a great many years to get the two titans of horror to battle one another on screen but the filmmakers finally got it together and we got FREDDY vs. JASON. For obvious reasons, I want to like this movie and it does have some good aspects. Unfortunately, the bad ones weigh it down.
My big problem with the film is the human characters. They are vapid and uninteresting and their motivations are all over the place.
I'll give the film points for its style and pacing and the fight sequences really deliver. Energetically directed by Hong Kong's Ronny Yu, the clash of the titans lives up to the expectations of the title and there is more spurting blood than you could ever want from a movie like this.
The movie is worth watching just for the sheer audacity of it and the epic battle is quite entertaining. It's just a shame that the rest of the movie couldn't have lived up to the potential. GRADE: 3 (out of 5)
FRIDAY THE 13th (2009)
What starts out with some real potential, quickly descends into nothingness, as the FRIDAY THE 13TH remake becomes another bloody smear on an already battered franchise. Mind you, I was quite excited to see this because I felt Director Marcus Nispel did a respectable job revamping THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003). But alas, this greatly pales in comparison.
The opening of the film is basically a retelling of FRIDAY THE 13th Parts 1 & 2 and for the most part is rather effective. But once the opening title fades, so does any hope for a good film.
The movie looks great, shot by horror vet Daniel Pearl, but unfortunately that just further puts focus on what a missed opportunity this remake was. I honestly hoped that this would be the quintessential FRIDAY THE 13th movie and this time they'd get it right, unfortunately it's one of the worst of the series and we become Jason's true victims. GRADE: 2 (out of 5)
So there you have it. 12 Movies. 12 Reviews. I hope you enjoyed this new insight into a classic series that keeps chugging along. As of the writing of this article, a sequel to the 2009 remake is in the works and it's said to be a found-footage movie. I'm sure I'll be first in line when it comes out.
PAUL J. SALAMOFF
Writer/Producer/Comic Book Creator
http://www.thetoptenmoviesofalltime.com
Paul J. Salamoff has been working in the Entertainment Industry for over 24 years in Film, TV, Video Games and Commercials as a Writer, Producer, Executive, Comic Creator and originally as a Make-Up FX Artist.
He is the author of two non-fiction books: ON THE SET: The Hidden Rules of Movie Making Etiquette and The Complete DVD Book and the writer of the acclaimed graphic novels Discord, Tales of Discord, Logan's Run: Last Day, Logan's Run: Aftermath and Logan's Run: Rebirth as well as issues of Vincent Price Presents.
He was recently named one of The Tracking Board's Top 100 up & coming Screenwriters and has developed projects with Mosaic Media Group, Hollywood Gang, Silver Pictures, Valhalla Motion Pictures, Vertigo, Broken Road, Unstoppable Entertainment (UK) and Eclectic Pictures.
Check out more MOVIE A DAY reviews and MUST SEE MOVIE lists at: http://www.thetoptenmoviesofalltime.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_J_Salamoff
Writer/Producer/Comic Book Creator
http://www.thetoptenmoviesofalltime.com
Paul J. Salamoff has been working in the Entertainment Industry for over 24 years in Film, TV, Video Games and Commercials as a Writer, Producer, Executive, Comic Creator and originally as a Make-Up FX Artist.
He is the author of two non-fiction books: ON THE SET: The Hidden Rules of Movie Making Etiquette and The Complete DVD Book and the writer of the acclaimed graphic novels Discord, Tales of Discord, Logan's Run: Last Day, Logan's Run: Aftermath and Logan's Run: Rebirth as well as issues of Vincent Price Presents.
He was recently named one of The Tracking Board's Top 100 up & coming Screenwriters and has developed projects with Mosaic Media Group, Hollywood Gang, Silver Pictures, Valhalla Motion Pictures, Vertigo, Broken Road, Unstoppable Entertainment (UK) and Eclectic Pictures.
Check out more MOVIE A DAY reviews and MUST SEE MOVIE lists at: http://www.thetoptenmoviesofalltime.com
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