By Mitch Ringenberg
<[email protected]>

With movie studios currently remaking any horror movie they can possibly get their hands on, it comes as no surprise to see a remake of “Friday the 13th.” The 1980 original became one of the better known “slasher” horror films and even helped mold the sub-genre’s now-tired formula. After that film’s success, many, many sequels were made (this is technically the 12th film in the series). However, the original film was a monotonous bore, even by today’s standards, with an implausible “plot twist” that insults the viewer’s intelligence.

Fortunately, this remake (or “re-imagining,” as filmmakers now like to claim) improves upon the original, providing some effective scares, some mild laughs (not always intentional) and slick cinematography. Unfortunately, the film suffers greatly from predictability, choosing to stick to the standard slasher formula of a group of immoral teens being picked off in creative ways by a machete-wielding killer, with plenty of gratuitous gore, sex and drugs to go around. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise though, considering the film itself was produced by Michael Bay, whose motto must be “style over substance.”

“Friday the 13th” focuses on a group of young adults heading out to their friend’s cabin to party and have a good time. Little do they know, however, their friend’s cabin is right next to the abandoned Camp Crystal Lake, home to the psychopathic, hockey-mask-wearing Jason Voorhees. According to legend, Jason drowned in Crystal Lake due to the negligence of certain camp counselors. Somehow, (the film never seems to explain if Jason is some sort of ghost or actually alive) Jason is back and ready to punish any naughty teens trespassing on his territory. Presumably, Jason has been on this killing spree for quite some time, which brings to mind the question: How and why would the general public, not to mention the authorities, ignore the fact that at least a hundred rambunctious teens have gone missing in the same area for years? And on top of that, why would these teens continue to camp there? But I guess you’re not supposed to think that hard with this kind of movie.

After Jason’s origin is explained, in a matter of roughly fifteen minutes, the film begins its routine. One by one each teen stereotype is murdered in rather inventive fashions until the “big showdown” with Jason takes place.
The director, Marcus Nispel, has already had horror movie experience directing the 2003 remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Where that film went for a gritty and chaotic feel, to the point where it almost gives the viewer a sense of fatigue, “Friday the 13th” goes for a much more campy feel, focusing more on creative deaths rather than actual scares.

That’s not to say the film doesn’t have any scares. The first 20 minutes are legitimately intense and the film’s final act is just about as scary. But much of the movie wastes its time by trying to shock or titillate the viewer. Some of the death scenes can certainly qualify as guilty pleasures (a scene involving a speedboat is especially entertaining) but a film can not be supported by these kinds of scenes alone.

Most people going into “Friday the 13th” will expect hefty amounts of violence, nudity, etc. and those expectations will certainly be met, and then some. Casual moviegoers looking to be scared may be pleasantly surprised, but not overly so. Anyone looking for a film with intelligent plot (or any plot for that matter), would do best to look elsewhere.

“Friday the 13th”

Directed By:
Marcus Nispel

Starring:
Jared Padalecki, Derek Mears

Runtime:
1 Hr. 37 Min.

Rated:
R

Overall:
C-