I'm not sure how many people were even anticipating this movie in the first place. The only reason I'm writing this review is simply because I'm a big F-13 fan! As bad as they are, it's always been a guilty pleasure. This isn't a movie people are going to be shoving each other aside to see. It's not The Dark Knight. BUT, I would say that it is The Dark Knight of the Friday the 13th series, so to speak.
These movies have a reputation for being really, really tame. Sometimes, even downright comical, especially if you saw the last installment where Jason goes to outer space in the future. Shuddddderrrrr (Jason X - HORRIBLE movie - don't ever see it). So, naturally I was surprised when this movie freaked the hell out of me! Not only are the scares there, but for a movie of this genre, I was surprised overall how well it was done. It's not Oscar worthy by any means, but for a F-13 movie, the acting, writing, directing, everything, has taken a tremendous leap forward, from being a rather laughable film series to actually earning some credibility in the genre. I couldn't believe a typical slasher movie played with my expectations. Not to say that some of it wasn't predictable, but that too was part of the fun. The death scenes are frightening. The sex scenes are what they are. The stupid jokes actually made me laugh. The chase scenes are exciting! And the characters were likable enough for me to feel sad when they got "slashed." I really wanted some of them to make it, because they actually earned my interest.
This being another reboot, along the lines of Batman Begins, Casino Royale, etc. there were plenty of throwbacks to the original films. Well, the first 4 movies, to be specific, but I won't bore you with a history lesson on a B grade slasher series. The attention to detail is amazing, and the writers/director did their homework. It's great when you feel your fandom is being respected. It's probably safe to say the filmmakers were fans of the series as well. What I loved is how they incorporated those elements from the early days of 80s horror, but didn't follow the formula so strictly as to leave the film void of plot twists and surprises. The movie Scream gives you a perfect outline of such a formula, and what's great about this film is the way they bend and tamper with it. One of which is the way they humanized Jason. I think what made him truly scary this time around wasn't just the fact that he's roughly 7 feet tall (EEK!), but the fact that he was a man, with a past, a life (as bizarre and messed up as it is) and methods to his madness (literally). He really is, in my opinion, one the greatest monsters to ever grace the screen.
Although, it's a difficult movie to recommend, as only a pretty limited audience would get much enjoyment out of it. If you're a fan of the series or the genre, then don't hesitate! If you're into creepy, gory, epic stuff, then by all means go see it. If you're squeamish and downright don't like horror movies, then stay clear of this movie! But perhaps the best aspect of seeing this movie was seeing it on the big screen with an audience. This was the first F-13 movie I wasn't introduced to by T.V. or blockbuster. In the end, these movies are meant to be fun, and it's great to have a movie going experience that you can both get scared and laugh at with you friends. Hell, I didn't know hardly any of the other audience members. There's just something about jumping, laughing, and cracking jokes whilst watching an epic movie. I've heard people who grew up in the 80s talk about his experience while watching horror movies like Friday the 13th, but I never experienced it for myself. And I had a blast! Is it a great movie? No, not really. But it's fun, if you're into that sort of thing. In any case, I'll probably check the closet or peek behind the shower curtain before I sleep tonight!
These movies have a reputation for being really, really tame. Sometimes, even downright comical, especially if you saw the last installment where Jason goes to outer space in the future. Shuddddderrrrr (Jason X - HORRIBLE movie - don't ever see it). So, naturally I was surprised when this movie freaked the hell out of me! Not only are the scares there, but for a movie of this genre, I was surprised overall how well it was done. It's not Oscar worthy by any means, but for a F-13 movie, the acting, writing, directing, everything, has taken a tremendous leap forward, from being a rather laughable film series to actually earning some credibility in the genre. I couldn't believe a typical slasher movie played with my expectations. Not to say that some of it wasn't predictable, but that too was part of the fun. The death scenes are frightening. The sex scenes are what they are. The stupid jokes actually made me laugh. The chase scenes are exciting! And the characters were likable enough for me to feel sad when they got "slashed." I really wanted some of them to make it, because they actually earned my interest.
This being another reboot, along the lines of Batman Begins, Casino Royale, etc. there were plenty of throwbacks to the original films. Well, the first 4 movies, to be specific, but I won't bore you with a history lesson on a B grade slasher series. The attention to detail is amazing, and the writers/director did their homework. It's great when you feel your fandom is being respected. It's probably safe to say the filmmakers were fans of the series as well. What I loved is how they incorporated those elements from the early days of 80s horror, but didn't follow the formula so strictly as to leave the film void of plot twists and surprises. The movie Scream gives you a perfect outline of such a formula, and what's great about this film is the way they bend and tamper with it. One of which is the way they humanized Jason. I think what made him truly scary this time around wasn't just the fact that he's roughly 7 feet tall (EEK!), but the fact that he was a man, with a past, a life (as bizarre and messed up as it is) and methods to his madness (literally). He really is, in my opinion, one the greatest monsters to ever grace the screen.
Although, it's a difficult movie to recommend, as only a pretty limited audience would get much enjoyment out of it. If you're a fan of the series or the genre, then don't hesitate! If you're into creepy, gory, epic stuff, then by all means go see it. If you're squeamish and downright don't like horror movies, then stay clear of this movie! But perhaps the best aspect of seeing this movie was seeing it on the big screen with an audience. This was the first F-13 movie I wasn't introduced to by T.V. or blockbuster. In the end, these movies are meant to be fun, and it's great to have a movie going experience that you can both get scared and laugh at with you friends. Hell, I didn't know hardly any of the other audience members. There's just something about jumping, laughing, and cracking jokes whilst watching an epic movie. I've heard people who grew up in the 80s talk about his experience while watching horror movies like Friday the 13th, but I never experienced it for myself. And I had a blast! Is it a great movie? No, not really. But it's fun, if you're into that sort of thing. In any case, I'll probably check the closet or peek behind the shower curtain before I sleep tonight!