This film has quite an interesting history. From what I can gather, it sounds like they only wanted to do 3 films. But Part 3 didn’t have the right sound of closure. The producer was sick of horror, specifically slashers, so he pushed for this to be the end of it, despite them making a great successful ratio of budget vs box office. Obviously, this one was a success and was also the beginning of the Tommy Jarvis trilogy, as some people like to refer to 4, 5, and 6. A lot of people will say that this is their favorite Friday the 13th film.
I’m trying to lower my expectations for how Jason is portrayed. He improved significantly from Part 2 to Part 3. Still, he was too human and not an indestructible killing machine. By the way, I love when horror fans get all pretentious on this shit. “Oh, I really liked the storytelling.” Stop it. You’re here for the big badass named Jason if you made it to part 4. This has never been a rich grand story. It’s young adults getting killed and it’s senseless entertainment. Enjoy!
I am curious if this starts with a replay from Part 3. I am guessing that will be a resounding yes. I know some of you like knowing what I am eating during these films. I will be eating Sour Cream and Onion Pringles, Sabot Vermont Seriously Sharp cheese, and some bacon. I like the combination. It is amazing. You’re welcome.
Wow, this is a welcome twist. They gave us a flashback of Paul telling the story around the campfire in Part 2, but then used clips from Part 1. I really like this opening. Had they not showed the clip of Ginny in Part 3, they could have technically sandwiched in between 1 & 2. Don’t forget, Part 2 took place 5 years after Part 1. Oh well, missed opportunity.
We have a helicopter, ambulances, police, all at Higgins Haven cleaning up the aftermath. Why is this happening at night? Chris was found in the day time in the canoe. Certainly, they wouldn’t have waited all day to clean up the carnage. A lucky few get to take Jason’s body, lots of references to him being dead.
They wheel Jason in to the coroner, Axel, and he tells the guy that there’s a cute dead girl over there and he could just take his pants off. Classy! I have often wondered if shit like that really happens, and I have to assume that it does. A lonely coroner, some beautiful dead girl there, a twisted mind. It seems quite plausible. Not good, but plausible.
Axel is hitting on Nurse Morgan, and they’re gonna fuck. She’s way above his pay grade. Very pretty. She goes to his room and it’s dark and he jumps out and scares her. This lady is really a prude. The news reported that the murderer is dead. Make out time, while watching some fitness video. She is already pulling down the zipper. Jason’s hand screws up the mood so she bails. I feel bad for Axel. It is his fault for not having put the body away though. I love this fitness show. I wonder if I can find the name of it. It is called Aerobicise. I also just learned that the director was opposed to the opening montage scene. Time to see how successful he ever became. He directed Missing in Action and The Prowler. I enjoyed the Prowler for what it was. Axel just got his throat sawed and head twisted. Nurse Morgan just got picked up and had a scalpel rammed in her. Shame, she was pretty.
We have two ladies jogging, I think it is Trish and Mrs. Jarvis. Mrs. Jarvis is horny apparently We meet Tommy Jarvis, played by Corey Feldman. He’s playing a video game while wearing some monster mask.
Time to meet the 6 young adults. We get Paul and Sam who are a couple. Then there’s Doug and virgin Sara. To cap it off, Ted and Jimmy. Lots of sausage at this party, but we still have Trish.
There’s Pamela Voorhees’s tombstone. She was only 49 at death. Seriously, none of the other stones could be read. It kinda stands out. Oh, a hitchhiker. They tend to do well in slashers. She wants to go to Canada. They don’t pick her up. She decides to eat a banana. She hears something. Jason goes for the throat stab and he may have grunted. Gordon, the dog, returned to Tommy. Trish, Tommy, and Gordon greet the new group that are staying next door.
Sam is the brunette and quite pretty. Sara is also pretty in her own way. Tommy is in bed and looks across to the other house where Sam is getting undressed and he is freaking out. The top comes off, but we just see her back. I don’t think any boy would react that way and give himself away. Mom comes in and he pretends to be sleeping. She sees what is happening and closes his blind. Son, you gotta keep your shit together.
Jimmy is still worried about calling BJ Betty. Jimmy is played by Crispin Glover, just so you know. Ted is rockin’ the sleeveless denim jacket look. Who are these skanks on bikes? Sara leaves to get the car because she doesn’t want to walk much and rejects Doug’s offer to accompany her. He should totally start hitting on one of these bike girls. Tina and Terri are the girl’s names. They are a treat. Sara is all kinds of spooked walking by herself.
Tina and Terri bring the group to a nice swimming place. Time to skinny dip! Sam is bringing it with a nice pair. Good for her. Nice ass. Terri and Tina get topless. Best scene in Friday the 13th yet. There’s plenty of man ass. Gordon ran away and Tommy just came by and saw the fun. The group invited Trish to a party tonight. Trish’s car stopped working, but Tommy knows how to fix this shit. Smart kid. I’m still clueless about how to fix anything.
Sara won’t get naked and swim with her friends, so Sam is protesting by staying underwater until Sara gets those clothes off. Sam is my favorite character. She just pulled Sara in. Yup, Sam is a strong MVP candidate. Jason is near Trish, Tommy, and Gordon. That wasn’t Jason. It’s a hiker named Rob. Rob fixed the car and now he is getting a ride. Oh, Rob is hunting bears. What’s the better 80’s name: Rob or Rod? Trish and Tommy invite Rob in. Tommy wants to show Rob something special. Not creepy at all. Tommy has a ton of sweet looking masks in his room. The truth is, I’m jealous. Still not MVP, but Tommy is trying to win me over.
Party time and Jimmy pul on Lion’s “Love is a Lie” and asked one of the T’s to dance. Good lord, what the hell kind of dancing is that? The song is also bad. Ted gets over aggressive with the other T. She goes on to flirt with Paul. Okay, we have romantic music and everybody is slow dancing. It’s night time and Rob is gonna leave. Trish offers him a free shower any time and he gives her a quick peck.
I really enjoy Ted and Jimmy’s chemistry. Tina wins the drinking contest and hugs Paul. Sam pulls a power move to go swim. Sara is gonna talk to Sam. Tina is all over Paul. Tina stares at Ted while dancing, mocking him. Ted is so pissed at Paul. Sam is outside about to take off some clothes, but then here’s something. The pants are off, the panties are off. The shirt is off. Yup, MVP. Shame that she didn’t have a bigger career. She is still very attractive. Okay, swim time. I am sad that she is gonna die. She keeps waiting for Pau and she gets in an inflatable raft. Jason comes from the water and impales her from below.
Paul leaves Tina to look for Sam. I mean, tina is a hell of a consolation prize. The twin’s attire is terrible. That needs to be said. Tina now dances with Jimmy and Ted is still pissy. Jimmy says “That makes me feel like a rat” which always sticks out due to Willard. Tina wants to go upstairs. No shit. Ted awkwardly stares at Terri. Ted is really bad at this.
Paul is going out in the water. He thinks that he is being sly and sneaking up on her. Oh, Paul, you are in for a treat. She’s gonna be nude for you. Nude and dead. Paul has a freak-out. Swimming for the dock. I said God Damn! Jason got Paul with a harpoon right in Paul’s crotch. Fuck, that’s just a bad way to go out. Rob hears the scream from afar.
Someone is near Rob’s tent. They ruined his gun and other stuff. Back to Tina and Jimmy. Her shirt is unbuttoned and the bed falls to the floor. That’s fine. Ted found some old projection reel with some weird topless bitch. Ted finds this to be hilarious. Terri comes up and tells Tina that it’s time to go. Tina is too busy being nude, so Terri, you get the hell out of here. Terri is outside and calls Tina a slut. Haha. Terri just got killed from behind by Jason. Like a spear to the back.
Sara wants to go to bed, and she wants to sleep with Doug. Good for him! Mrs. Jarvis is soaked. The power isn’t working at their house. Nobody seems to be there. Where the hell is everybody? Has it rained in every film so far? Mrs. Jarvis goes outside and gets scared by something. Trish is driving Tommy home, I assume. Hello, Sara in her white underwear. Nice. She’s making sure not to show too much.
Trish and Tommy are home, no mom. This has a good spooky atmosphere. I like this. Trish wants Tommy to stay while she looks for mom. Trish is soaked and she finds Rob’s tent. We see a shadow and it’s…..Rob. Hahaha. He slices open his own tent. Why?
Jimmy wakes up with Tina on him. Jimmy is worried about being a dead fuck. He was not. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” Words to never say in horror. Jimmy leaves the room and brings Teddy Tina’s panties. Ted is still watching this weird shit. Jimmy got his hand corkscrewer and cleaver to the face. Tina looks outside and sees that her sister’s bike is still there. Who’s next: Tina or Ted? Jesus, that was a good scare. Jason grabs her through the window and hucks her onto the hood of a car, and they were upstairs. Great kill.
Rob has all these newspaper clippings about Jason. Tommy is just meandering in the house hoping to fix the lighting situation. Sara and Doug are showering together. There’s her ass pressed against the shower glass. Ted is still watching and he is very drunk. Aww, the film reel ended. Butcherknife through projection screen into the base of Ted’s skull. Nice. They really upped their kill and nudity game in this one.
Aww, Sara doesn’t want to expose her tits. She is going to wait on the bottom bunk for Doug. I keep forgetting his unremarkable name. The lights go out in the bathroom. Jason punches through the glass and pushes Doug’s wig in. Brutal! Sara is very thin, cute little butt though. She looks for Doug and she finds him dead. She screams for Sam, who she hasn’t seen in a long-ass time. She goes to open the door and Jason flings an axe through the door and goes into her torso.
Trish and Rob to back to find Tommy. He got the power on, but the phone won’t work. Trish and Rob are leaving Tommy alone at the house while they go out. That seems like such a terrible idea. They are going to the other house to find the carnage. Are we about 20 minutes from the finish? Oh wow, 20 minutes and 19 seconds when I just wrote that. I’m fucking good at this shit!
Rob is going to explore the basement and he tells Trish to stay with Gordon. Poor ideas get poorer. There’s a rat. We’ll call that rat, Steve. Gordon is whimpering. Why they didn’t take the car and just leave with Tommy is beyond me. Gordon just umped out the second-story window. Dogs don’t usually do that. Tommy finds Rob’s newspaper clippings. Trish may actually be more attractive when she’s wet. It does something for her hair. She finds the bloody bathroom and the bloody Doug. She screams for Rob.
Hahahahaha, oh my goodness. They go to leave the basement, but Rob’s foot falls through a board, I think and he drops his knife. He goes down to get it and she says to just leave it. So he gets it and Jason starts mauling him. That’s fine, but what happened next was amazing. “Oh God! He’s killing me! Run, Trish, run! Ahhh. Run Trish! He’s killing me! He’s killing me!” Why did Rob survive long enough to say all of that? Wait, then Trish heads back downstairs, wy? Jason grabs her leg through the broken board. She escapes but finds Terri and then Jimmy. She escapes and is screaming. She makes it back home. She wants a hammer and nails. What fucking good is that when you have that many windows? Seriously!
Yup, Jason just hurled Rob through the windows. He pops through a different window to grab Tommy. Trish bludgeons him with a hammer and then claws him. They run upstairs and Jason flings the hammer into the wall. I don’t know if this is good or hilarious or what exactly. I am captivated and typing without looking at my screen.
Okay, they partially barricaded the door, but Jason breaks in. Trish blasts him over the head with a TV, from the 80’s. Those things were beasts. Now they gingerly walk past him rather than run. Jason is up and chasing Trish. Run Jason, run!!! Time to run upstairs. Always a good idea. She jumps through a window and we see her panties. Plain white, cute though. Her boots, not so much. She is dirty and wet now, thanks to the rain and mud. Tommy is slicking back his hair and looks ready to do work. He is cutting his hair. Trish comes back home and she’s mad that Tommy didn’t leave. Trish is really swinging that machete. She fucked his hand up and cut down the center. Jason has mounted her. Tommy has partially shaved his head to look like young Jason. Well, that was unexpected, at least the first time you saw it.
Trish with the slow-motion swing and she cuts the hockey mask off. She drops the machete. She is horrified and his face. Tommy buries the blade in Jason’s head. Shiiiiit, that was a killing blow. Now is not the time to hug. Jason’s hand is moving. Tommy sees this and hacks away repeatedly on Jason. Trish keeps saying “Tommy!” over and over. Tommy is relentless and screams “Die!”.
Trish is in the hospital. The doctor explains Tommy’s actions under duress. She can see her brother, but only for a minute. Tommy is looking good. He comes in and hugs Trish and then freeze frame on Tommy staring at the camera all intense.
End Film
That was the Friday the 13th that I came to love. Lots of nudity, stupid kids, parties, drinking, and brutal Jason kills. He was so good in this one. I felt that this was the first time that Jason felt right to me. So many positives. We got a ton of character development and you were possibly cheering for Trish and Tommy. I didn’t feel that way with any of the previous ones. I legitimately felt something for some of the characters. Honestly, this is easily one of the 3 best slasher films in history, in my opinion. This doesn’t waste a ton of time either. If Part 1 is a 7.6, this has to be higher. Part one did have more iconic characters. I’m not going to lose sleep if I give this is a slightly higher rating.
Final Rating: 7.9
All the pictures used in this blog are for review purposes. They are the property of:
- Paramount Pictures (presents)
- Georgetown Productions Inc. (uncredited)
- Sean S. Cunningham Films (uncredited)
Please go find a copy and support the creators.