Friday the 13th (2009) Review
Friday the 13th (2009)
Directed by: Marcus Nispel
Written by: Damian Shannon, Mark Swift and Mark Wheaton
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Aaron Yoo, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti
When it comes to horror franchises, there are few that can compete with the sheer longevity of Friday the 13th. While I don’t think anyone would ever call the series particularly consistent, after 11 installments there is little debate over just how timeless a villain Jason Voorhees has become. Even younger generations are familiar with the iconic hockey mask, and a remake has been long overdue. After a few years of false starts, the newest re-envisioning of the series has finally hit the big screen, ready to capitalize on the calendar-based marketing gimmick all over again. But can it buck the trend of recent horror remakes and deliver a slasher flick worthy of your time and money?
As you may or may not be aware, this is not a literal remake of the first Friday the 13th, since Jason wasn’t actually the killer in the original. Instead, they do a good job of summarizing the first film in flashbacks during the opening credit sequence, and then cut to a group of teenagers who are camping out in the woods near Crystal Lake. Since there is no good reason why any kids nowadays would actually go roughing it outdoors (!), their main reason for being there is to locate a massive crop of marijuana plants. Thankfully, in classic Friday the 13th fashion, they are hunted down one by one, until we once again cut to an entirely new group of kids heading out for a wild weekend of partying in the area.
It is at this point that we realize the full extent of the “modernization” required for a new Friday the 13th. Since summer camp is not something that today’s average teenager can identify with, these are rich kids are heading out to a swanky cabin owned by their parents. Meanwhile, the main character of the film, Clay Miller (played by Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki) crosses paths with them while cruising on his motorcycle in search of his missing sister Whitney (Amanda Righetti). Unfortunately for all of them, Jason is pretty intent on crashing the party.
The good news is that once the bloodbath starts, most of the movie’s contrivances are rendered irrelevant. If you’re a fan of slasher films, and you enjoy seeing a variety of gruesome deaths strung together by a minimal plot, you will probably have a decent time with Friday the 13th. For the most part, it holds true to the spirit in the original insofar as it’s all about horny teenagers getting hacked to bits, one by one. There’s an adequate amount of sex and nudity, followed by an adequate amount of carnage.
What ends up gumming up the works a little bit is the fact that the movie can’t quite reconcile its edgy tone with campiness and comic relief. It’s true that the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously, and some of the more outlandish kills (like the bow and arrow, for instance) are highlights of the film. The comic relief, however, is hit and miss, relying mostly on juvenile jokes and racial stereotypes in the same vein as Transformers (surprise, surprise, another Michael Bay production). Aaron Yoo and Arlen Escarpeta play the funny Asian guy and the funny black guy respectively, but isn’t it odd (read: offensive) that they are the only ones who can’t score chicks?
The oppressive darkness of the movie threatens to overwhelm the fun factor at times. Marcus Nispel previously directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake and Pathfinder, and to his credit, I think the movie works on a visceral level with some tense scenes and decent jump scares. However, I also felt like it relied a little too much on really loud noises to scare the crap out of you instead of genuine terror, and from a visual standpoint everything has a slick music video look of manufactured grittiness that doesn’t add much in the way of atmosphere.
I guess my biggest problem with this movie is that they kind of reduced Jason to a common serial killer (albeit, a very large serial killer who seemingly can’t be killed). They shoved aside any supernatural elements in favour of a more realistic approach, and the fact that he is so fast and mobile kind of takes away from his mystique. Also, I just didn’t dig the idea of him keeping bodies (either living or dead), and some of his methods for killing seemed to cater more to the Saw crowd than his slasher roots.
Ironically, the thing that ultimately salvaged this movie for me is the fact that I absolutely hated pretty much all of the characters. Normally this would be a major flaw in a film, but in the case of Friday the 13th, I was rooting for Jason to rip them all apart (especially that douchebag, Trent — even his name is just dispeccable! No offense to any Trents out there.). If Cloverfield was about the destruction of upper-class Manhattan yuppies, then Friday the 13th is about tearing down the self-absorbed me generation. That right there is worth the price of admission, even if the final showdown is merely a cop out to leave room for the inevitable sequel. But what else did you expect? If people keep paying to see this stuff, we’ll have 12 more installments in no time. And I’m mostly okay with that. — Sean
SCORE: 
Recommended If You Like: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes, Hostel
Comments (18)
I completely dissagree with your review. It was overall a crappy movie. 0.5 or 1 at the most.
No scares, too many kills (it got boring after awhile), somewhat decent comic relief wrapped in a bad plot with douchebag characters. However I liked Padalecki, though it was far below his role in “Supernatural”.
Posted by Kasper F. Nielsen on February 17th, 2009I liked how they took the red barn from part3 the wheelchair from part 2 made a new way of him finding his mask,i didnt see very many camp cabins?the area was
Posted by Don on February 17th, 2009not very foresty?crystal lake was really open aka no trees well forest trees!like part 1.jason was good,the
cabin was way to southwest looking texas looking.canada
woulda been a more foresty area.the asian guy was very
funny,the black guys comments were dumb.great sex scenes.no councelors?some camp councelors woulda been
great.it was to much like texas chainsaw massacre?it was still worth my 10 bucks but they shoulda used a
more foresty location..i did dig the use of several
different films ..like the wheelchair from part 2 and
showing us jasons bedroom was cool but trey was too much of a dick..part 1 had a great group of kids as well as 3 and 4 ..NOW PLEASE MAKE AN ONLINE VIDEO GAME
PLEASE..OVERALL THEY PUT ALOT OF THOUGHT in this movie
i loved the burning sleeping bag and the ax in the back
and hopefully the ending will bring us a part 13 in a
couple years in a more forested area,great film very well put together,weed sexy naked babes beer..reminded
me of 1-8 thanks
ps make an online xbox 360 videogame like jason vs camp
coucelors or jason vs freddy??
I think Don wants a thicker forest and a video game.
Posted by Itchy-finger on February 17th, 2009I have to disagree with two things.
Posted by Longdogg on February 22nd, 20091) I like the way they portrayed Jason in this movie. He was ruthless and intelligent. Not that he was as good as Kane Hodder but it was a good effort and great to see a different approach to the character.
2)I can honestly say, apart from Alice in the original, this is the only Friday the 13th when I really wanted the victims to get away from Jason. Everybody but Trent and that skanky blonde slut. Well thats my rant done.
Friday the 13th video game….hmmmmmmm. Make it after “Manhunt”, but killing teens. Sounds like a winner!
Posted by Tomas on February 22nd, 2009This movie was schweeeeeeeeeet!!!… jason is backk, chicks were hott, kills were hmm aite… where WAS THE KI KI KI HA HA???…. take a chick with u to see this movie… u’ll have fun
Posted by nick on February 24th, 2009I loved this Friday the 13th and think it was the best ever! I loved Jared Padalecki too he was wonderful in the film as Clay Miller. He’s great on Supernatural too. I loved the fact that Jason was more brutal and scarier than ever before. If they do another Friday the 13th and Jared Padalecki returns please don’t let him die in it and bring in Jensen Ackles from Supernatural to help Jared kill Jason. They can kill him together. I have seen this film 5 times. I love Jared Padalecki. I’m a huge fan of his.
Posted by Jason on February 26th, 2009Meh, it was nothing worth dying for lol. i give it a 3/5 i am still wondering who that old woman was who knew who he was when trent was looking for his sister. I will say one thing about jason, he sure holds a grudge just because he did not know how to swim lol. Shit, he needs to join a forgiveness program or something.
Posted by chris on March 8th, 2009Way to go pot smokers… get high, lose your way in a forest looking for pot plants and meet the man who will keep you from smoking that last gigantic bud you just picked.
HAH…. and I thought someone was going to get it with that skillsaw in the garage. but nope…
and the first 10mins before the movie title appeared, very nice. more oil please! i think she missed a spot. =)
Posted by RichPea on March 10th, 2009This movie reminded me of part 2 mostly. I found myself wanting to fast-forwarding to the end to see how he “dies” really. As far as keeping to roots…. I say they did a decent job (ie. unlikeable/loser characters should die)! I guess I’ve watched the same movie too many times lol!
2/5
Posted by Lewis on March 11th, 2009this movie was a good it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great, i’ve watched all the fridays and will contiue to watch i just ask that someone please make the kills more original i wasn’t enthusiastic at all about this movie’s kill scenes myfavorite jason kill was in freddy v. jason when he folded the bed
Posted by andre on March 17th, 2009I thought it was a little racist.Not so much the black cause they do ok with chicks,and not all white chicks. Would have liked to see asian dude with white girl.
Posted by WhiteDude on March 29th, 2009This movie is crappy, yet you gave it higher point than “Body of Lies’. Please. On a different note though, I like Padalecki, he is nothing like Sam Winchester.
Posted by ima on April 18th, 2009Another remake, hhmmm… FUCK OFF AND DIE!!!
Posted by Alex Crossley on May 24th, 2009alexjcrossley@yahoo.co.uk
i dont no what all you shit heads are talking about this was a awsome movie it has a good amount of gore it has prooper sexuall scenes which friday13th frachise has been known for and it also has alot of violence so i dont no what alot of you are complaining about andas for ppl saying it got predictive thats bull
Posted by justen on July 26th, 200910/10
Posted by lance on August 3rd, 2009it was awesome to see a more pissed off aggressive and smarter Jason.to me this Jason is more realistic in how he grew up. he lived all his life in the wood so he will be a lot slimmer and faster stronger and he is going to know his territory.the barn from part 3 was great plus the part when he came thought the window part 2 was cool.there was parts from 1 2 3 4 that I could see.part 4 reminder me of the big fancy house with everybody partying and stuff and 1 by 1 getting killed plus Ive heard of people saying there’s small parts from part 5 but I cant see it.all the sex and trash talk was alright but I feel they over did it.
and dropping Jason in the lake in the end was great
I really pray they do a part 2.
the all time best part was when he found the mask for the first time the killkillkill music then goes over to the mirror and you see Jason for the first time with the mask.
plus the start did it for me when he walked down
to see his mom then stands up with the necklace head and machete and slowly walks away in to the bush.
at that moment he turned into the Jason we all no
I don’t care what anyone said I loved the movie I grew up watching Jason one of my first memory’s are of watching Jason I am a true fan of Jason and all ways will be.
This movie suck! Where was the creepy music, why was Jason driving, why was he so skinny, why was he running after his victims, why did he kidnap a girl, and WHY DID THEY MESS UP A CLASSIC!!
Posted by BABYGIRL on May 8th, 2011The first 4 friday the 13th where awesome. Then they made the rest who kept being worst and worst. However I do admit that this one was better than the 5th ( I won’t spoil) and the one with a girl who have psychic power (think it’s the 6th) and of course it was better than Jason X. However there something ( you know some atmosphere) who wasn’t there. So they missed something and could’t get close to the 4 first Friday the 13th (Well.. I expected something as bad as Jason X and freddy vs Jason, so I guess they surprised me a little.)
Posted by John Booker on June 18th, 2011Leave a Reply