Friday the 13th Films, Ranked
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- DirectorTom McLoughlinStarsThom MathewsJennifer CookeDavid KagenTommy Jarvis exhumes Jason Voorhees to cremate his corpse, but inadvertently brings him back to life instead. The newly revived killer seeks revenge, and Tommy may be the only one who can stop him.Best of the series - not a dull moment. 8.5/10
- DirectorJohn Carl BuechlerStarsTerry KiserJennifer BankoJohn OtrinJason Voorhees is accidentally freed from his watery prison by a telekinetic teenager. Now, only she can stop him.Some hate the "Jason vs. Carrie" idea. I love it. The kills in this are great, including the infamous sleeping bag kill, and it's fun to see someone able to fight back against Jason. 8/10
- DirectorSteve MinerStarsBetsy PalmerAmy SteelJohn FureyFive years after the events of the first film, a summer camp next to the infamous Camp Crystal Lake is preparing to open, but the legend of Jason is weighing heavy on the proceedings.Despite this being the "sackhead" Jason instead of him having the signature hockey mask, he is fairly menacing in this film, and the kills are done well. Ginny (Amy Steel) is one of the best final girls in the series. 7/10
- DirectorSean S. CunninghamStarsBetsy PalmerAdrienne KingJeannine TaylorA group of teenage camp counselors attempt to re-open an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past, but they are stalked by a mysterious, relentless killer.If I'm being honest, the original isn't necessarily a fun or exciting film, but it's hard not to give it props for starting it all. And the final showdown between Mrs. Vorhees and Alice is campy goodness - with some of the best performances in the series by Betsy Palmer and Adrienne King. Also, gotta love Kevin Bacon getting the arrow through the neck. 7/10
- DirectorJoseph ZitoStarsErich AndersonJudie AronsonPeter BartonAfter being announced dead and taken to a morgue, Jason Voorhees spontaneously revives, escapes from the hospital, and stalks a group of friends renting a house in the countryside near Crystal Lake.I know many fans would crucify me for ranking this one so low, and I certainly loved this one as a kid. However, going back and watching it as an adult, it feels more silly than anything. A bunch of people show up for seriously no other reason than to have sex and get killed. In almost every other film, the characters at least have reason to be there - Pts. 1, 2, and 6, they're camp counselors; in 3, they're helping Chris deal with her issues; in 5, they're at a halfway house; in 7, they're celebrating a birthday party. This has some of the slightest character development of the series.
That said, Cory Feldman as Tommy Jarvis and Kimberly Beck as Trish Jarvis really elevate this film. Yes, Tommy's character is intriguing, and his rage kill against Jason is unforgettable, but let's not forget Trish puts up a pretty good fight against ol' Jason. 6.5/10 - DirectorRonny YuStarsRobert EnglundKen KirzingerKelly RowlandFreddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees return to terrorize the teenagers of Elm Street. Only this time, they're out to get each other, too.Go ahead and hate me for this, but I think this movie is fun as hell. It's hard not to love watching the two slashers face off against each other. And the story bringing them together, while not lacking logic issues, makes more sense than I expected. Some great scenes, too: Jason at the rave, going berserk, and getting set on fire. Freddy taunting Mark and burning "Freddy's Back" on his skin. Overall, more silly than scary, but still brings a smile to my face. 6.5/10
- DirectorSteve MinerStarsDana KimmellTracie SavageRichard BrookerJason Voorhees stalks a group of friends who have just arrived to spend the weekend at a cabin near Crystal Lake.Now we're getting to the more forgettable entries in the series. This one is fairly boring, with some really lackluster kills. Going back and re-watching these (I recently re-watched the entire series), I was surprised at how little actual gore and nudity are in these first few films. The camera barely lingers on any of the kills - a second or two at most, if not committed entirely off-screen. And this is one of my least favorite portrayals of Jason - too quick and athletic. The pacing is also terrible - it takes a while for the action to start, and the opening 10 minutes is a waste of time. Chris is one of my least favorite final girls. Still, I like Shelly's goofiness, and the cool-as-hell biker trio who try to mess with Shelly's peeps, only to get offed by the Man Behind the Mask. 6/10
- DirectorJames IsaacStarsKane HodderLexa DoigJeff GeddisJason Voorhees is cryogenically frozen at the beginning of the 21st century, and is discovered in the 25th century and taken to space. He gets thawed, and begins stalking and killing the crew of the spaceship that's transporting him.This film is so bad it's good. So the guns and sci-fi elements really dilute the Friday the 13th formula, but I give it kudos for doing something entirely different while still maintaining the atmospheric stalker tone. I'm sure people will hack a machete at me for ranking this above some of the other entries, but if I'm being honest, this is just more fun than those. 6/10
- DirectorDanny SteinmannStarsMelanie KinnamanJohn ShepherdAnthony BarrileStill haunted by his past, Tommy Jarvis, who, as a child, killed Jason Voorhees, is sent to a secluded halfway house in the countryside, where the killing of a young man triggers a brutal series of murders in the area.It's easy to see why this one gets so much flak, despite its healthy doses of kills and nudity - what more do you expect from a porn director? Still, I didn't hate this as much as I thought I would upon rewatch, and I think the venom directed at this film is out of proportion (many rank it as least of the series). I kind of like the halfway house set-up, and I even like the Ethel and Junior characters many seem to loathe - I think they're fun to watch (and watch get killed). I like the continuation of Tommy Jarvis' character. I also like Reggie (Shavar Ross) and Pam (Melanie Kinnaman). Still, it lacks something tone-wise that other entries have, and of course the reveal at the end puts a damper on things. 5.5/10
- DirectorRob HeddenStarsJensen DaggettKane HodderTodd CaldecottJason Voorhees is accidentally awakened from his watery grave and ends up stalking a ship full of graduating high-school students headed to Manhattan, New York.Now entering the realm of the horrid and boring. Despite Kane Hodder's great performance as Jason, the first 2/3 of this movie are a snooze to me. Jason stalking people on a boat - not my idea of fun. Also, why the heck would Jason get on a boat?! I enjoy some of the moments when they FINALLY get to Manhattan, but it's too short-lived and not utilized as well as it could have been. And the godawful ending of Jason turning back into a kid?!? For the love of Bagul, never do anything like that again. 5/10
- DirectorAdam MarcusStarsJohn D. LeMayKari KeeganKane HodderSerial killer Jason Voorhees' supernatural origins are revealed.It hurts me to hate this movie as much as I do. I really, really want to like it. But body-jumping Jason doesn't do it for me. If I want that set-up, I'll watch The Hidden or The First Power, thanks. The dialogue and writing in this film...yeesh, an all-time low, and that's saying something for this series. And that's all despite having Kane Hodder, John D. LeMay (Ryan from the Friday the 13th show), and Steven Williams (who would go on to play Mr. X on The X-Files), all actors I enjoy on screen. Still, they don't have anything above abysmal writing to work with. I don't need to ever watch this again. 3/10
- DirectorMarcus NispelStarsJared PadaleckiAmanda RighettiDerek MearsA group of young adults visit a boarded up campsite named Crystal Lake where they soon encounter the mysterious Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions.It's hard to dislike a movie more than I do Jason Goes to Hell, especially when it involves such an iconic character as Jason Vorhees. However, this film is wrong on so many levels. Some of the most embarrassing and cringe worthy dialogue/scenes ever. Examples: "I don't eat fish." "That's not what you told me." That's supposed to be funny? That's the kind of joke you hear from a 5th grader. The local yokel from whom Jason gets his mask licking his porn mag and talking about pounding a mannequin - it physically hurt to watch those scenes. And Jason doesn't feel at all like Jason - moving quicker than ever, setting traps, killing with a bow and arrow. I get a more "Jason feel" from the body-jumped characters in Jason Goes to Hell. Derek Mears is certainly imposing, and has a great look as Jason - I just don't like how he moves. The editing sucks in this - it feels like the camera can't hold a shot for more than 5 seconds. And the music and sound design lack any suspense - no music when it would have added, and when it is used, the music lacks any suspense or emotive force, unlike Harry Manfredini's beautiful scores for most of the films. I find little to like about this film, and I wish I could unwatch it. 3/10