Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

Starring: Kimberly Beck, Erich Anderson, Corey Feldman, Crispen Glover, Barbara Howard, Peter Barton, Joan Freeman
Directed by: Joseph Zito
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
1984

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After believed to be dead, Jason Voorhees returns from the morgue to continue killing a new batch of teenagers, as well as hunting a family who lives in a cabin nearby.

Review:
Tim: Another Friday the 13th movie, another disappointing effort. The biggest problem I've seen with this franchise (and trust me, there are plenty) is that every movie is nearly indistinguishable from the other. Sure, there are small differences here and there, but everything else is nearly identical. What is it about this movie that sets it apart from the others? Yes, this is the "final" chapter, and thus, the "death" of Jason, but if you believed either one was true, then you are pretty guillable. This "final" chapter is a forgettable, oftentimes silly effort.

The group of teenagers here are mostly forgettable- none of them are particularly memorable, especially not for very good reasons. I suppose Crispen Glover does stand out, but for a bizarre, odd, unlikeable performance. His dance scene is one of the most frighteningly crazy things I've ever seen. Glover is a weird guy. Other than that, the rest of the teenagers could have been anyone- no standouts, and their stories feel all too similar to those of past movies. I was a bit surprised that this film featured much more nudity than any of the previous Friday the 13th movies. It felt like a cheap effort to infuse some energy into a quickly staling franchise.

One small difference in this film is that in addition to the expendable teenagers, we also meet a family living in a cabin in the woods. This is actually not a bad idea. We probably care a little more about a family than a group of promiscuous teenagers whose only role seems to be fodder for Jason. The family does indeed gain a bit more of our sympathy, but the casting of Corey Feldman pretty much negates any gain. It doesn't help that he is quite unbelievable as a horror mask special effects genius (what??) that may be the match for Jason.

There are a few grisly horror movie deaths here that might elicit a few gasps, if you can overlook the fact that many of these murders are really, really hard to believe. Would a girl in a raft in the middle of a pond not hear a killer apparently swimming toward her? It always makes me laugh that the large Jason can move like a ninja, undetected by all.

This movie does have a fairly decent conclusion, although it might not have been as heart-pounding as the previous edition's climax. Jason indeed meets his match in a brother and sister, and these scenes are pretty interesting to watch. It is not often that we see a horror movie icon having the tables turned on him- but I was surprised how little satisfaction this brought. Some may indeed want to see Jason die, but he is most effective when he is a cold blooded, unstoppable killer. Still, this film's big ending is at least fairly memorable.

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. It set out to tell the same basic story all over again, albeit with the slightest of changes to the story and the mythology. Horror movie fans will want to see this movie, but there is very little to love here from the general moviegoing population. I've always thought these movies had a lot of potential, but no film has managed to live up to that potential. This one isn't close.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th: Part 2, Friday the 13th: Part 3, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street