Spring Break
'Friday the 13th' nothing too exciting
2 and a half out of 5 stars
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: Focus
OK, we've all seen this horror movie before. A bunch of immature 20-somethings go camping in the woods and some of them get killed, some of them have sex and some of them get killed while having sex. Been there, done that.
But this time it's with one of horror's legendary villains, Jason Voorhees, in his 11th outing (not counting the underrated "Freddy vs. Jason") terrorizing Camp Crystal Lake. Does that make a difference? Not at all.
In fact, this remake is only slightly better than Rob Zombie's "Halloween" flop, and two of the review score's two and a half stars go solely to the origins portions of the film - without those scenes, this would just be as forgettable as any of the films in the series after "The Final Chapter." This entry borrows plot points directly from the first three movies in the series (you'll see them scattered throughout) and there just isn't anything fresh to it.
What's really mind-boggling about "Friday the 13th" is the film's opening. It begins with a flashback to the original film with Mrs. Voorhees chasing the last counselor through the woods, only to get her head lopped off. Logically, the title screen would have followed at this point, but instead the director decided to introduce five characters, waste almost half an hour on character development and then kills them off in a matter of a few minutes. Then the title screen appears and a whole new group of mindless youth is thrown into the mix. It really begins to feel like you're watching the same movie twice.
In today's horror films, the kills have taken center stage as the stars of the show. Since the audience knows what's going to happen, filmmakers try to think up the most imaginative ways to kill off the cast, but "Friday the 13th" even lacks in that category. Yes, there's plenty of blood, but it's uninspiring. Axe to the back, machete to the head, another machete to the head … yawn.
If there is one redeeming moment to the whole movie, though, it's when Jason finally dons his trademark hockey mask. For the first half of the film, he wears a burlap sack with eyeholes cut out until it gets ripped by one of his victims. It's pretty empowering.
If you're not familiar with the "Friday the 13th" series, then certainly check this film out. It combines elements of the original films that would make it enjoyable to a newcomer, but everyone else should just pass it up and wait for a DVD release.
But this time it's with one of horror's legendary villains, Jason Voorhees, in his 11th outing (not counting the underrated "Freddy vs. Jason") terrorizing Camp Crystal Lake. Does that make a difference? Not at all.
In fact, this remake is only slightly better than Rob Zombie's "Halloween" flop, and two of the review score's two and a half stars go solely to the origins portions of the film - without those scenes, this would just be as forgettable as any of the films in the series after "The Final Chapter." This entry borrows plot points directly from the first three movies in the series (you'll see them scattered throughout) and there just isn't anything fresh to it.
What's really mind-boggling about "Friday the 13th" is the film's opening. It begins with a flashback to the original film with Mrs. Voorhees chasing the last counselor through the woods, only to get her head lopped off. Logically, the title screen would have followed at this point, but instead the director decided to introduce five characters, waste almost half an hour on character development and then kills them off in a matter of a few minutes. Then the title screen appears and a whole new group of mindless youth is thrown into the mix. It really begins to feel like you're watching the same movie twice.
In today's horror films, the kills have taken center stage as the stars of the show. Since the audience knows what's going to happen, filmmakers try to think up the most imaginative ways to kill off the cast, but "Friday the 13th" even lacks in that category. Yes, there's plenty of blood, but it's uninspiring. Axe to the back, machete to the head, another machete to the head … yawn.
If there is one redeeming moment to the whole movie, though, it's when Jason finally dons his trademark hockey mask. For the first half of the film, he wears a burlap sack with eyeholes cut out until it gets ripped by one of his victims. It's pretty empowering.
If you're not familiar with the "Friday the 13th" series, then certainly check this film out. It combines elements of the original films that would make it enjoyable to a newcomer, but everyone else should just pass it up and wait for a DVD release.
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