Friday the 13th (2009)

Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Aaron Yoo, Willa Ford, Derek Mears
Directed by: Marcus Nispel
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A group of teenagers party in a cabin near Camp Crystal Lake, where they soon clash with Jason Voorhees (Derek Mears)

Review:
Tim: I'm not sure why I expected anything different. Friday the 13th has always been an underachieving franchise. It's had so many opportunities to right the ship, to give audiences a truly great horror movie. This franchise reboot was probably not really asked for, but it was needed. This was the opportunity for the franchise to start a new, more respectable chapter. And, given all these opportunities and the freedom to do it right, we get basically the exact same movie we're seen so many times before. That is horribly disappointing.

Once again, Jason Voorhees kills faceless, meaningless teenagers, one-by-one. Once agin, we have characters we barely get to know, characters we care nothing for, and don't mind at all when they are killed. I've seen this movie before, and it wasn't very good that time, either. The only difference is that this movie shows more sex and gore. That's it. All the weaknesses of the original series caries over into this film. I feel like we're right back where we started.

I did appreciate that Jason appeared a bit different in this film. The writers moved him away from that slow-moving zombie character to a living, breathing hunter. I loved that Jason actually moved quickly in this movie. He seemed more believable, and less a horror movie joke. He was portrayed as a hunter defending his territory, rather than a supernatural being, like in previous movies. That was cool.

The film also does give us some inventive death sequences. There was some unique approaches, although nothing is so shocking that it felt completely new. I barely batted an eye at any of the murders. I've seen it all before. Still, it's always interesting to see how a psychopath like Jason will end his victims' lives.

The cast was atrocious. Quick- name the three main actors in the original Friday the 13th. Can't do it? Neither can I. A year from now, this cast will be the same thing- completely, totally forgettable in every sense. The characters are cardboard cut outs of actual human beings. They are one-dimensional and stupid, portrayed by actors with little to no talent besides their looks. That is a shame, because this franchise has potential.

I'm not a huge fan of rebooting franchises, even ones that need it as badly as this one. I would have jumped on board had this movie given us something- anything to be excited about. I don't think this film did well enough to warrant a sequel, and I actually hope this is the end for a while. It's entirely possible that there will never be a truly great Jason movie. This franchise has tried everything- moving him to the big city, sending him to Hell, putting him in outer space, having him face off with another horror movie icon, and now, rebooting the whole thing. Nothing has worked. It may be time to retire Jason for good.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The other 11 Friday the 13th movies