Friday the 13th (2009)

All right, watched the F13th remake for the second time. Impressions? I still feel this film took the series in the right direction. It offered fresh elements that were exciting and scary while still maintaining many of the classic conventions that made the original series stand out to begin with. Mears is absolutely terrifying as Jason, I love the look and feel of the character, and Nispel does a beautiful job of placing him in a moody, dank atmosphere that heightens the level of tension and suspense rather than relying only on gore. Many fans complained about some of the questionable plotting elements, and I do agree that it isnt the direction I would have taken, but I didnt feel that the kidnapping was enough to destroy the film. Another common complaint was that the teens were stereotypical and the dialogue was lame. C'mon, go back to any of the original films and find one where you cant say the same. I felt the acting and writing here was easily better than many other teen horror entries, even if it was cheesy at times. What I also really enjoyed was how much weight the weapons held, with Jason doing some serious damage to his victims. I hope I am not overly forgiving on this one, because I really enjoy it and cant wait to see where the series goes from here!

Rating: 8/10.
Gore: 7/10.



Now, borrowed from my original review, I want to take a moment to justify my opinion on the film in a mini-debate with myself:

"The teenagers were stupider and more annoying than ever!!1"

-I really felt the acting and choice of characters was far superior to a majority of the earlier films. Be honest, the acting has NEVER been great in any of the films in the series. Its either been bad or not as bad. Campy is the best word for the majority of the acting, with the acting in 1 and 2 obviously surpassing any of the later entries. The teens in this flick were smarter, wittier, and more realistic and relateable than most others.

"The film was abusive with the pot and sex, that was so stoopid!!1"

-Outside of the pot in the beginning and the bong, there really wasnt much screentime for paraphernalia. Yeah, there was drinking, but the drunk / high scenes actually reminded me almost exactly what it was like being back in college, and was much less over the top than the Jay character from Freddy Vs Jason. The sex was minimal as well in the large scope of things, and its a friggin F13th film, these are staple elements that many people are specifically going to see and have come to expect, they are a necessary ingredient.

"I hated that Jason ran!!1"

-I dont know how people manage to even say this. If you dont know that Jason runs in the early films go home.

"Jason was too smart, using tools and concealing evidence!!1"

-Yeah, cuz Jason didnt shoot someone through the eye with a harpoon gun in 3 and didnt fly to Alice's house to kill her in the opening scene of 2. He also didnt construct a house that was able to withstand years of weather in the woods in 2, he happened upon the shanty. It is debatable just how retarded Jason really is, we never get a definitive answer as to his intelligence level, so it is entirely foreseeable that his brain capacity could just be stunted to that of a young child. That doesnt mean he wouldnt be able to figure out things like driving, shooting, setting traps, etc. If we are willing to accept that hes been smart enough to survive in the woods for years, why is it so hard to accept that he was able to use tools to catch his food slash kill teens? I personally prefer a Jason that is more inventive and has some sense of purpose, the uber-retard that we have all come to love has had his day so let the film makers try something new.

"I hated how Jason looked!!1"

-Thats personal opinion, so its valid. Now go and make your own F13th and we will tell you what we think of your design.

"The deaths werent even that bloody / gory / original!!1"

-After reading this common complaint, I expected the film to be bloodless, which it was not. There was plenty of blood, but it didnt spurt in fountains like in FvJ. The kills were fun and the machete has never held so much force, with jason prying it out of people's skulls after sporking them in the face. There were plenty of homages made to the F13th series as well as Creature from the Black Lagoon, Silent Night Deadly Night, and others, which made the kills fun and nostalgic. I dont mind that the kills were toned down and I respect the fact that they didnt feel the need to create outlandish kills in order to top the previous films. The deaths were solid and within the realm of believability, something that cant be said for many slashers.

"The film wasnt even scary!!1"

-This entry was MUCH scarier and darker than any other F13th film. Jason has never been more intimidating, and Mear's take on the character was easily one of (if not) the best realizations in the series. It was unfortunate that many of the suprises were paired with cheap jump scares with music cues, but this is the first Friday film I have jumped in. Sue me.

"Jason held a friggin girl hostage, AND there was no strong survivor girl!!1"

-Touche, I personally didnt go for either of those decisions either, let alone the fact that the would be survivor girl played a minimal role in the overall film. This was a definite flaw for me that I cant rightfully justify or overlook. It just didnt fit with the series or the typical Slasher motife.

"If the original hadnt been made, this never would have been a classic!!1"

-True, it is a good slasher and very enjoyable, but it doesnt contribute anything new or different to the genre. If the original Friday the 13th was never released, I still feel this would be a solid slasher and would easily spawn a new series. The new film obviously couldnt stake the same legend status the original had since effects have come so far already and the formula is made standard.

So there you have it, like it or hate it. Im all for the remake, I thoroughly enjoyed it and cant wait to see what the new series brings.