Not long ago I did a series of reviews on the Nightmare on Elm Street films. People really seemed to like it allot so after a long break I have come back for more! This time I will be doing the Friday the 13th series.
So here we are at the original slasher film that was released in 1980. The film is about a group of teenagers who re-open Camp Crystal Lake years after a boy drowned and two camp counselors were killed. One by one falling to a mysterious killer.
This is one of those horror franchises where the teenage cast isn’t very smart. However that just increases the fun of the film. Also I think this movie was the start of the rule “If you have sex in a horror movie your going to die!” Most of the characters in this movie do have sex.
One of the cool things about this movie is that you never see the killers face until the end. Which is even better if you know nothing about the series. However most people know that it’s Jasons mom, Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer), who is killing every one. Betsy Palmer does a fantastic job playing the psychopath and once she’s revealed at the end she steals the show!
Of course what’s a slasher movie without the kills? The kills are very bloody and sometimes creative. The part where Kevin Bacon gets the arrow through his neck is tormenting because you get to watch not only it come through but as it twists and turns! Also the axe through the face is classic and gross. But it’s the killing of the killer that is the best kill of the movie. The hero Alice (Adrienne King) decapitates Pamela with a machete near the end. After which her hands do like this grabbing thing which is the weirdest thing ever.
Although the film isn’t as cool as Nightmare on Elm Street it is sure allot of fun. Especially the surprise ending (that made me jump and drop all my pop corn on the floor).
I give “Friday the 13th” a B-