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One of the things I admire about the Friday the 13th movies, is that, with every sequel after Part 2, the producers, directors and writers attempted to inject some original spin on their familiar story line. In the fourth film in the series, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, director Joseph Zito and writer Barney Cohen offer the audience the chance to see the final death of Jason Voorhees (who are we fooling, right?). The producers even lured special effects master Tom Savini back to participate in the final demise of the iconic slasher. But what’s changed since the end of the third movie? Well, the acting has improved a little. I know, I’m damning the movie with faint praise, but work with me here.
The movie opens with a nice tracking shot through the carnage that was the end of Part 3 and ends up focusing on the body of the “dead” Jason. Brought to the hospital, Jason pops up from the cold slab, stabs and punctures a nurse and a doctor, and makes his way back home to Crystal Lake. We expect nothing less.
Soon, we’re introduced not only to a new set of teens, hoping for a great old time of sex and drugs, but also to a small family unit, comprised of the geeky and gutsy Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman), his sister, Trish (Kimberly Beck), and their mother (Joan Freeman). With the introduction of a pre-teen to the mix, the conflict and psychological stakes are elevated. Also new is the introduction of Rob (Erich Anderson), a young hiker (with his own machete), who comes searching for Jason, whom he believes killed his sister. This character, if you’re a follower of such things, was brought back for the 2009 re-imagining of the franchise. Pretty soon, Jason is back on familiar grounds, doing what he does best.
Surprisingly, all of these new elements keep the narrative fresh (or as fresh as these movies can ever get), and they keep the story moving. The kills come every 10 minutes, and, like the other movies, the bloody after-effects are not lingered on. Corey Feldman as the young Tommy (the only character in the mythos to reoccur three times), steals the movie with his special effects prowess (he makes monster masks), and he sets us up for the final, visceral confrontation with Jason. A young Crispin Glover even adds his own brand of quirk to the overall formula as likable Jimmy. All of this is complemented nicely by a score by series regular Harry Manfredini, which comes very close to mirroring Bernard Herrmann’s Psycho score. Homage or plagiarism? You decide.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, shockingly, is one of the better written films in the series, giving the viewer a few more personalities to bond with rather than the usual assortment of vacuous teen clichés that we’ve come to expect.
Paramount serves up a great package, too (unlike the disappointing Part 3, which came with nada, except for the 3D glasses): director commentaries, deleted scenes, and much more—a great package for a great ending to the slasher franchise.
Wait, what’s this on my desk? Friday the 13th, Part V: A New Beginning…?
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