31 Days of Horror – Friday the 13th (2009)





Friday the 13th has never been my favorite franchise.  I found the first movie boring and the only other movie, aside from the 2009 reboot, was the third film.  Whereas I did enjoy the third movie, I just never felt the desire to watch any of the other sequels.  When the reboot came out in 2009 I decided to try it out and I wasn’t disappointed in the least.

Directed by Marcus Nispel, Friday the 13th stars Jared Padalecki, Amanda Righetti, and Danielle Panabaker, to name but a few.  Originally intended to be an origin story, the creators decided to combine the first four movies of Jason’s evolution transforming him into a killing machine.

The movie starts out as most slasher films: there is the short background bit then the first group of travelers who decide to camp for the night.  And this is the part that made me sit up and take notice.  When Jason is introduced and enters the camp, there is no shambling silent stalker who methodically kills them off one by one in a slow how-did-he-walk-faster-then-their-running way.  He is fast and brutal.

The rest of the movie plays out in the typical ‘80’s style horror where the numbers dwindle quicker and in unique ways.  Though Jason’s preferred weapon of choice is a machete, he is clearly skilled at killing with whatever he is able to get his hands on.  Another bonus to the movie is the fact that it is a true survival film.  Too many horror movies waste their time with the characters trying to solve the mystery of who the killer is or even try to band together to track him down and fight him.  Not so in this rendition: the characters are merely trying to survive.

One of these days I may get around to watching the entire franchise but for now, when I’m in the mood for watching a cold-hearted brutal killing machine, this one will suffice.


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