I've always found this very 80's installment of the F-13 franchise to be enjoyable. And this long overdue rewatch was no exception. But wow! The last one of the original 8 really was the last gasps of breath for this franchise. So many intelligence insulting plot holes! And a film that doesn't exactly live up to its title. A better title for this woulda been "Friday The 13th part VIII: Jason somehow manages to hi jack a cruise ship and kill everyone whilst defying logic". Either way, I can imagine people sitting in the theater in 1989 thinking to themselves "This has gotta be IT!". And unfortunately, it kinda was.
One thing I noticed this time that I never did before is how Jason kills only 6 or 7 teenagers on the cruise ship. yet before all the mayhem begins, it's shown that there are indeed more than just 6 or 7 of them. An entire class, in fact. Where did they all go? Did Jason kill them off camera? Or did they all get tuckered out from their 80's style partying and go to bed early? Doesn't matter. No one in this movie seems to care about anyone elses death. Not even their own, really.
I love how near the end while the four remaining survivors are in a cop car that crashes, and then explodes seconds after three of them hurry out, while they leave the one female teacher in there to burn to death, with nearly no acknowledgement whatsoever. Then, they just stand around while the down there and it screwed her up. So, now, Jason is apparently the same age as this teenage chick. Despite the fact that 15 or 20 (or 30?) years have supposedly passed since part 2, when he was already a grown man for quite some time. Nevermind the fact that we still haven't even made it out of the 80's yet.
So, we get what? Less than 1/3 of the movie taking place in Manhattan? Brilliant! The ending was stupid, yet sorta satisfying at the same time. Jason's new frog face was hilarious. His look of Horror when he saw the toxic waste heading for him was just epic. And then in a shocking twist, after Jason , the main chick's , that she was looking for way back on the ship, shows up out nowhere just to make it an even happier ending. You gotta be kiddin' me!
But while watching the last few minutes, it occurred to me that the next installment, Jason Goes To Hell, coulda been taken a little more seriously had there been one more F-13 to link the 2 films. I think such a movie could still happen. I always wanted an Friday the 13th part IX which ignores Jason Goes To Hell and everything after it. But what about a "Lost" F-13 which makes all the ones after 8 make a little more sense? It could even be officially listed as a 1991 movie. Unlike Friday The 13th Part VIII, that could actually work! 5/10
One thing I noticed this time that I never did before is how Jason kills only 6 or 7 teenagers on the cruise ship. yet before all the mayhem begins, it's shown that there are indeed more than just 6 or 7 of them. An entire class, in fact. Where did they all go? Did Jason kill them off camera? Or did they all get tuckered out from their 80's style partying and go to bed early? Doesn't matter. No one in this movie seems to care about anyone elses death. Not even their own, really.
I love how near the end while the four remaining survivors are in a cop car that crashes, and then explodes seconds after three of them hurry out, while they leave the one female teacher in there to burn to death, with nearly no acknowledgement whatsoever. Then, they just stand around while the down there and it screwed her up. So, now, Jason is apparently the same age as this teenage chick. Despite the fact that 15 or 20 (or 30?) years have supposedly passed since part 2, when he was already a grown man for quite some time. Nevermind the fact that we still haven't even made it out of the 80's yet.
So, we get what? Less than 1/3 of the movie taking place in Manhattan? Brilliant! The ending was stupid, yet sorta satisfying at the same time. Jason's new frog face was hilarious. His look of Horror when he saw the toxic waste heading for him was just epic. And then in a shocking twist, after Jason , the main chick's , that she was looking for way back on the ship, shows up out nowhere just to make it an even happier ending. You gotta be kiddin' me!
But while watching the last few minutes, it occurred to me that the next installment, Jason Goes To Hell, coulda been taken a little more seriously had there been one more F-13 to link the 2 films. I think such a movie could still happen. I always wanted an Friday the 13th part IX which ignores Jason Goes To Hell and everything after it. But what about a "Lost" F-13 which makes all the ones after 8 make a little more sense? It could even be officially listed as a 1991 movie. Unlike Friday The 13th Part VIII, that could actually work! 5/10