Movie Review of New Friday the 13th (2009)
Jason and Hockey Mask Return in Reboot of Friday 13th Movies
Feb 14, 2009
Jason is back. And boy, does it seem like he's been gone forever!
Jason Voorhees was always a killing machine, but ever since Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, he's seemed like more of a nightmarish cartoon than any kind of human monster adults should be afraid of. Not anymore.
In the new Friday the 13th, Jason gets his groove back. He's quick and nimble, both physically and mentally. He’s a genius when it comes to stalking his prey, and he doesn't waste time dispatching them.
Jason Voorhees Runs
While latter day Jason would take his time, often walking behind the always-running victim, yet still inexplicably catching up to them, the new Voorhees doesn't take chances.
It's inconceivable people exist who don't know the setup to this franchise, but in case they're out there, the Friday the 13th movies are about the deformed spawn of a mass murderess growing up to follow in his mother's footsteps.
This version begins with two would-be pot dealers and their friends venturing out to the woods near Crystal Lake to find a stash of naturally grown marijuana. Instead they meet a hooded maniac, whom you might remember from Friday the 13th Part 2. What happened to hockey mask Jason?
Five victims later, Jason and hockey mask are back together. From there, he sets his sights on a new batch of victims.
This Friday the 13th, predictably enough, has 13 kills, and you'll probably know who's getting what long before it actually shows you. Still, watching Nispel orchestrate his murder scenes is fun, and truthfully, there is nothing too outlandish in modus operandi.
Some may see that as a drawback. However, it lends credibility to the "It Could Happen to You" element that made the first four Friday the 13th movies good scary fun.
Connections to Other Friday the 13th Movies
- Jared Padalecki's character, a young man searching for his missing sister around Camp Crystal Lake, was taken from Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter.
- Hooded Jason from Friday the 13th Part 2 is back.
- A short, but beautifully filmed black-and-white sequence at the beginning sums up the first film (not to the point, however, that a prequel wouldn't be appreciated).
- There is, of course, the Jason hockey mask acquired in Friday the 13th Part 3 that turns Voorhees from common killer to horror movie icon.
Horror aficionados will appreciate these connections, as well as those to other horror films. One kill involving a machete to the top of a victim's skull, is reminiscent of The Prowler. Incidentally, that film was directed by Joe Zito, the man who would go on to helm Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter.
Ah, the circle of death.
Damian Shannon and Mark Swift's script is the film's strongest element, but Nispel and the cast deserve credit for apt execution. Most surprising of all is how Derek Mears is able to take a character that normally relies on his celebrity, if you will, to remain interesting, and injects a welcome dose of personality that actually makes viewers think Jason Voorhees is a part not just anyone can play.
Derek Mears, like the film itself, combines the best elements of what has come before him to create a new experience for modern audiences. Strong. Intense. Unique.
While the latest of the Friday the 13th movies isn't groundbreaking, it's a slick, polished fulfillment of everything viewers expect in campfire slasher films. It knows its audience, and it delivers while honoring the spirit of that which came before it.
Overall, Friday the 13th is an effective retread that honors the high points of its predecessors while creating something new and fun that, like its machete-wielding star, has a personality all its own.
NotesFor a look at the 13 best kills in the Friday the 13th movies' history, read Jason Voorhees Friday the 13th: 13 Best Kills.
To read further on Derek Mears and his turn as the iconic Jason Voorhees, visit First Showing.net.
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