Jason Voorhees strikes fear in the soul of every movie goer. The villain of the 1980's hack 'n' slash phenom has had quite an evolution {or so I've been told.} I have avoided all of the sequels to the original because nothing can beat the way that movie made me feel. Then along comes Marcus Nispel's 're-telling'...
Most successful horror films contains three elements: nubile flesh, high body count, and an ending wide open for sequels. I expected one thing from Nispel's Friday the 13th: to be entertained. You, Constant Reader, have no idea.
Nispel begins our body count right out of the gate. You're not settled in before the film 'reboots' as 'Mother' is beheaded back in '80. Fast forward, present day, and cue young attractive group of campers ripe for killing. Fast forward, six weeks later, Clay (Jared Padalecki) begins searching for his sister, Whitney (Amanda Righetti) who has disappeared. In turn, he meets another ill-fated group of attractive young people lodging near Crystal Lake.
The story is nothing profound--suffice to say, you know it. Let me tell you why this re-imaging works. Nispel takes the best elements and with a few tweaks, slams them into the audience. The original back story is allowed to set the tone, but he quickly turns Jason into a smart and capable hunter.
Friday the 13th has one gear--high. Moving at a nice clip, the pacing is edgy and terse. Jason doesn't lumber; he moves with sadistic purpose. Thrilling and suspenseful, the movie is unrelenting even during the mandatory comedic banter and copious sexual escapades.
Go look somewhere else for spoilers. While each horrendous {predictable} death has a unique flair, there is no particular WTF moments that stands out. There is freakishly methodical undertone in each situation as Jason dispatches his conquests from this world. A few continuity problems aside and you've got a solid horror film on your hands.
Friday the 13th is an enjoyable, if predictable remake. With a young cast to die for, a demented protagonist, and the unrelenting inevitability of death, Friday the 13th is worth the investment.
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Post Script {01.15.09} ~ Two viewings and here is my ultimate arguement... As I see it, your enjoyment of Friday the 13th depends on which camp you're in. As modern day horror feature, there is nothing new here. Quite frankly, it's not particularly inspiring and while the kills and thrills are great, walk out of the theatre and it's forgettable. For fans of the genre, Friday the 13th will play more as an homage than a remake--for that reason you shouldn't miss it.
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