Friday the 13th
is one of the most iconic slasher movie franchises around. Here are the
legendary series' 5 best movies and 5 worst ones.
Out of all the
main slasher icons (Jason, Freddy, Michael, Chucky, and Leatherface), Jason
Voorhees holds the title of most movies with a total of twelve. Everyone’s
favorite hockey mask-wearing mama’s boy has racked up quite the body count
throughout the entire series.
Each entry in
the Friday
The 13th franchise follows the usual formula: horny teens
get killed off in increasingly bloodier ways. That being said, some of them are
more impressive for other reasons, such as the tone and the characters. Then
there are the ones that were embarrassing that some fans would rather forget
about. Here are the five best entries in the Friday The 13th franchise,
as well as the five worst.
10Worst: Jason X
Jason X is a divisive entry among fans. Some argue
that it’s an abysmal entry that completely jumped the shark, while others think
it’s pure mindless joy throughout. We can understand both sides. It definitely
has Jason’s best kill among all twelve movies, in which he uses liquid nitrogen
to freeze someones face, only to smash it seconds later.
Gore factor
aside, the acting is terrible (even by Friday The 13th standards)
and the CGI is so cartoonish considering the series was built on great
practical effects. Uber Jason may be memorable, but this tenth entry feels more
like a piece of fan fiction than anything else.
9Best: Friday The
13th Remake (2009)
This movie
sometimes gets hate solely for its existence as a remake, which isn’t quite
fair. Out of all the horror remakes of the time (Halloween, Nightmare On Elm
Street, Texas Chainsaw, etc.), this one definitely stands out among the
rest. What makes this reboot so enjoyable is that stays true to its roots as a
campy slasher flick.
It has a
memorable opening where we think we’re meeting our cast of characters, only for
them to all get brutally murdered in the first fifteen minutes. This new
rebooted Jason is a more terrifying and visceral version of the titular
character where he’s treated like a hunter/survivalist this time around. The
dedication to practical effects is also very appreciated.
8Worst: Friday
The 13th Part III
Bear with
us. Part III is always remembered as the one that introduced
Jason’s famous hockey mask. Surely this would be one of the best in the series,
right? Well... not quite.
The third entry
is a complete re-hash of the first two movies with nothing unique added. They
copy some of the same kills from the first, and even the “shock” ending is the
exact same as the first, except it's a zombie Mrs. Voorhees this time around.
It takes forever for the movie to get going.
The only “new”
aspect worth mentioning was its 3D presentation, but that only means a ton of
unnecessary 3D shots being thrown at the camera. Also, let’s not forget the
appalling (while somewhat amusing) head crush kill.
7Best: Friday The 13th (1980)
Friday The
13th is one of
those rare instances where the original isn’t regarded as the best in the
series. It could just be nostalgia talking, but there’s no denying the impact
that the original Friday The 13th had on the genre.
The original was
a direct response to the massive success of Halloween. While John
Carpenter's classic film started the slasher craze, it was Friday The
13th that essentially created the template that many other slashers
would follow in the 80s. It also wouldn’t be a Friday The 13th list
without praising the revolutionary practical effects by Tom Savini.
6Worst: Friday
The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Sometimes
studios will blatantly deceive you with their marketing to keep the intrigue
going, which can be fine if the movie ends up being good. Jason Takes
Manhattan is the complete opposite of that. The film was marketed as
Jason having the whole city of Manhattan to slice and dice.
Turns out, only
about the last twenty minutes of the movie actually takes place in the famous
city. The rest of it is on a cruise ship, with a bunch of high school kids. We
also have to mention the confusing ending where Jason is basically killed with
a “Babality” in the sewers. It’s no wonder Paramount sold the franchise to New
Line after this.
5Best: Freddy Vs Jason
This should have
been a disaster. Putting two of the biggest horror icons in a crossover movie
sounds as gimmicky as 3D. Fortunately for gorehounds and fans, Freddy
Vs Jason is actually an awesome slasher movie with a smart premise
that pits these two legendary slashers against each other. It may have some
pacing issues midway through, as well as the ridiculous plot point that Jason
is afraid of water.
All of that is
forgiven in the third act, however, once Jason goes against Freddy in an epic
bloody showdown. The final battle is brutal and over-the-top in the best way
possible.
4Worst: Friday
The 13th Part V: A New Beginning
Fans were
ecstatic to see the return of Tommy Jarvis facing off against Jason once again.
Here, the basic premise is that people are wondering whether or not Jason has
actually returned from his apparent death in the previous movie. This could
have been a smart move by the writers as it turns this installment into a
“whodunit” horror movie.
Unfortunately, A
New Beginning doesn’t live up to this idea. Instead, we get a very
tame slasher with many of the kills being heavily censored by the MPAA. Also,
the reveal of Roy Burns being the killer wasn’t all that exciting. He just
wasn’t all that intriguing as a character. The only redeemable part of this
movie is the port-a-potty serenade. That never gets old.
3Best: Friday The
13th: The Final Chapter
The Final
Chapter (while not
actually being the final one) is where the series had gotten revitalized
after Part III. It introduced Tommy Jarvis, who would go on to be
known as Jason’s greatest foe. The franchise's fourth chapter is entertaining
from start to finish.
The gore and
kills are a definite step-up. The sibling relationship between Tommy and Trash
drives a lot of the heart in the movie. Even the disposable dead meat
characters are likable in their own way. To top it all off, we have that
hilarious dance by a young Crispin Glover.
2Worst: Jason
Goes To Hell: The Final Friday
To be fair, we
should at least respect the filmmakers for trying to shake up the series'
formula which, let’s face it, had grown very stale. Having said that, they may
have deviated a little too far with Jason Goes To Hell. Out of its
many flaws, the biggest one is the lack of Jason in general. The writers
thought it would be a good idea to expand on Jason’s “mythology” where Jason is
reduced to an evil slug that can possess anyone.
Only a
descendant of the Voorhees family has the power to truly defeat Jason. It’s all
very convoluted and not at all what the series needed. On its own, Jason
Goes To Hell is a tolerable B-movie with some excellent gore. As
a Friday The 13th movie, however, it’s a total misstep for the
franchise.
1Best: Friday The
13th Part VI: Jason Lives
After the
disappointing Part V, it was time for the series to find its
footing again. Jason Lives was the perfect way for the series
to get back on course. Right from the start, this movie lets you know right
away to not take it too seriously as Jason is literally resurrected by a
lightning bolt, introducing the zombified Jason that would go on for the
remaining movies.
The tone is
captured perfectly as a slasher that is self-aware of how ridiculous the series
can be, without turning Jason into a complete parody of himself. It has some of
the best kills and characters of the whole franchise. It’s a shame that the
series never again reached the same heights as Jason Lives.
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