The Original Film Friday the 13th (1980) is an influential horror film. Alongside The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and Halloween (1978), it solidified slasher films as a new horror subgenre and mainstay in pop culture. But its not nearly as close to perfect as those two. Friday the 13th contains lackluster characters, barely has a…
Dream Warriors: Fantasy or Horror?
More Watchable Than Freddy’s Revenge A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is often viewed as the last good one before the franchise went downhill. Many fans label it as their favorite sequel. I’ve always been split down the middle with this one. To me, it’s simply alright. Here’s why. Dream Warriors possesses traits…
Scream 4: Somewhere Between Watchable, Decent, and Good
A Decent Entry Scream 4 is a turning point in the franchise. It’s the halfway point between the original trilogy and the Samantha Carpenter saga of Scream 5 and Scream 6. Thus far, it’s the last film where Sidney Prescott is the central protagonist and the first in the series to feel like it was…
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): A Masterpiece
Top Tier Slasher Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street is a classic and one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s one of the best horror films ever made, a masterclass of how to craft an excellent, entertaining story. It contains all the ingredients of a high quality flick. It’s suspenseful. The characters…
A Nightmare On Elm Street 2 Freddy’s Revenge: Wasted Potential
High Points of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge is the most unique entry in the Krueger saga. Freddy is dark and menacing rather than the comedic figure he became in later sequels, but it still doesn’t live up to the quality of the first movie. Why…
Friday the 13th (2009): A Remake That Hits and Misses
A Different Approach Friday the 13th was released at a time when Hollywood was obsessed with remaking classic horror films. Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Fog, The House of Wax, The Hills Have Eyes, Black Christmas, and My Bloody Valentine were all rebooted for the 2000s. Most of these didn’t live up to the…
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning Revisited
A Unique Entry Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning is a divisive film. Some fans hate it and think it’s one of the worst entries in the franchise. Others hold a higher opinion of it and view it as an underrated gem. This is primarily because Jason is only in the movie for…
Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter is the Apex
One of the Best Slashers Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter isn’t just one of the best Jason movies. It’s one of the best slasher films of all time. It delivers on all corners. It has a great opening scene, great kills, a great cast of characters, an aggressive killer, and a wonderful…
Friday the 13th Part II: The First To Get It Right
Friday the 13th Upgraded The release of Friday the 13th in 1980 is a watershed moment in horror history, but let’s not kid ourselves. It’s a flawed classic. There are pacing issues and other than Annie, Pamela Voorhees, and Marcie, the characters aren’t necessarily interesting. Several kills occur off screen too. We only see the…
Friday the 13th Part III: Almost Perfect
Almost Perfect Friday the 13th Part III is a good movie. In fact, it’s one of my favorite films in the franchise. It has a disco theme song, great kills, an epic third act fight, and a memorable batch of characters. Chris Higgins is a sweet final girl with a backstory. Rick, Chris’ boyfriend, is…