Review: Friday The 13th.

One of my favorite critics, Matt Singer over at IFC joked about starting a petition to rename this film “He’s Right Behind You, Moron”. That title fits this movie very well, but as far as slasher movies go. This one is actually quite decent.

I sometimes have to remind myself that these movies are meant to scare people, to me, the average slasher film is hilarious. Occasionally jumpy (mostly due to loud noises) and interesting special effects. The stupidity of the teenagers in these films are always astounding, running up the stairs instead of out the front door, no cell phone signal (although the first camper’s GPS worked just fine) the obligatory boob shot (in this case, nearly every female onscreen is topless at some point in this film) and the underlining racial slur, (Am I the only one that noticed that while the Asian teen is being murdered in the woodshed, his friend comes out to find him armed with a wok?)

Yes, the new “Friday the 13th” has all the cliches of the slasher film, but still manages to be some what interesting. The movie is not a full on remake (as hopefully most of you know the original killer was Jason’s mother, and Jason didn’t have his hockey mask til the 3rd film) An interesting approach is shown from young Jason’s point of view back in 1980 at Camp Crystal Lake. He witnesses his mother’s death, and goes on a killing spree. The film starts out with 5 teenagers going on a Camping trip, although their real motive is to find some marijuana that is supposedly growing nearby and sell it. After offing the campers, we are shown 6 more teens that are spending the weekend at a lake cabin near Camp Crystal Lake, we are also introduced to the brother of one of the missing campers who crosses paths with our ill-fated hooligans.

The only likeable character in the movie for me was Jenna (Danielle Panabaker), Aaron Yoo and Arlen Escarpeta come in as close seconds, but are mainly just there for comic relief. I personally hope I never run across Travis Van Winkle (bad boy Trent) in a film ever again. Half of the dialouge out of this guy’s mouth generated a lot of laughs in the audience (and a lot of those were at times they weren’t supposed to be funny) The acting in these movies isn’t supposed to be top notch, in fact it sort of helps play up to the stupidity of the teens in the film, but that was definitely pushing it. There was lots of blood (and boobs), the deaths were unique and gory, there were plenty of laughs, and the ending was totally predictable: Your typical slasher flick in a nutshell.

I for one, after seeing every ‘Friday The 13th Film’ ever made am beginning to sympathize with Jason. He had a good reason to start killing people (The counselors weren’t watching him when he drowned, they killed his mother, people are trespassing on his property, and probably trying to steal *his* weed.) It’s hard not to cheer Jason on.

Recommended: Only if you are a hardcore Slasher fan, or want a good laugh. It’s definitely one of the better “Friday The 13th” films.

Memorable Quote: “Where are you, gun?” - Trent (Travis Van Winkle)

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