JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY
A film review by Ken Johnson
Copyright 1993 Ken Johnson
1:29, Horror, 1993 MPAA rating: R (graphic violence, female nudity, explicit language, adult situations) Rating: three (on a scale of zero to five) Director: Adam Marcus Cast: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Allison Smith, Steven Culp, Billy Green Bush, Leslie Jordan, Richard Gant, Kane Hodder, Erin Gray, Steven Williams
Kane Hodder (the infamous Jason Voorhees) gets blown up at the beginning of this film. His body gets destroyed, but his evil soul lives on, travelling from body to body until he can get his body back. Hodder returns to Crystal Lake for much bloody mayhem and is followed by a bounty hunter who knows how to kill Hodder for good.
JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY is the ninth entry in the FRIDAY THE 13TH series. This film is supposed to be the last film of the series, but isn't that what the producers said about FRIDAY THE 13TH - PART 4: THE LAST CHAPTER? I expect that if this film does well at the box office then yet another one will soon be on the way. I only recommend this film to fans of the series, and then only at matinee prices or off videocassette (when it is released).
JASON GOES TO HELL, unfortunately, does not live up to the rest of the series. Like the earlier film FREDDY'S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE, this film is almost a spoof of the genre and of the FRIDAY THE 13TH series itself. At some times the film is intentionally funny and at other times it is unintentionally amusing. This film isn't believable at any level, but what the hell -- if you wanted believable you wouldn't have gone to see this film in the first place.
This film keeps up with the gore content of the series, which could repulse some unexpecting viewers. The gore effects are well done and complement the film. They don't look cheap and should satisfy all the gore freaks in the audience, because, lets face it, if you are going to see this film you aren't going to see an Oscar winning screenplay, you are going for the buckets of blood that shall be spilled. The script could have been written better, but as far as horror movies go, the writing isn't that bad. The film is predictable in too many spots, but does have a few surprises in store for the viewer. The score isn't overly memorable, but suits the film. It doesn't sound that much different from the other FRIDAY THE 13TH films, which could be that they were all done by the same person (Harry Manfredini), but it does add a slight chill at the appropriate moments.
The acting in this film isn't going to exactly win any Oscars either. Kane Hodder (playing Jason for a third time) does a good job for the little time he is actually on screen. The rest of the cast isn't overly spectacular, but aren't extremely bad either. They are basically just a normal B-grade horror film cast that can scream on cue.
-------- Ken Johnson blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu
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