Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan

8/10

This is the film that marks Jason's acting debut on "The Love Boat."  Oh this film, a financial flop in every standard, and one of the most hated films by fans and critics alike.  Many of you are probably expecting me to hate it too, but you'd be wrong. I absolutely love this film. Yes it is flawed, yes it doesn't take place in Manhattan for more than forty minutes(if we're talking about the real Manhattan then it's even less), and yes it is a lot less gory than other films in the series, but this film still kicks a lot of butt. I think the boat is an awesome venue for Jason's slaughter fest, and I think this movie is a heck of a lot of fun. 

The first thing I love about this film is the fact that the film is just good fun.  It's a rock and roll filled, and hilarious film.  I love the Rock and roll score that is used in a lot of the film, because it gives a much more hop and brutal feeling to some of the scenes. A great example is when Jason kills Eva in the dance room. The difference between this film's light mood and the humor of "Jason Lives" is that this one isn't nearly as cheesy and annoying. This one blends it in well as the way the teens behave, instead of stupid things like a paintball team.  I literally laugh out loud at certain parts of the film in a completely genuine manner. 

I like really the cast in this film.  The characters are all really funny, and the acting is fairly good for the most part.  The main girl Rennie(Jensen Daggert) is a very interesting character, because we feel a lot of sympathy for her, being we know she is being treated wrong by her overbearing uncle.  We can sense the insecurities she feels on the boat, especially with her aquaphobia.  She is really one of my favorite Friday girls, because she is just a very likable person. I think Kane Hodder did an extremely great job in this film. He brought an even darker light to the character than in "The New Blood." The camera really filmed him to make him look exceptionally strong, and he was much more intimidating.  

The kills in this film are much less graphic than the other films.  There is some gore, and one beheading, but overall, the mpaa literally slashed this film. So much of the violence is quick cuts, and done off screen.  This could've really hurt the film if not done correctly, but I think they did a good job with this tamer entry. The sounds that take place, and the aggressive actions of Jason really make the film keep its brutality.  One of these examples is the bathroom kill. Even though it's not even shown, it is still insane!

One of the things that is most oftenly trashed with this film is the fact that only a small portion of the film takes in Manhattan.  Personally, I don't mind this, because I think the boat idea was genius. The best thing about the movie taking place on a ship is the fact that the people are isolated.  In the previous films, it's easy to escape the area Jason is at, but now they're locked to the sea. It is absolutely one of the most intense ideas for the series.  The parts in Manhattan are also great, because even though most of it was taped in Canada, it still feels like New York. The best scenes are in the slums, because the people are really rough, and there is the accurate use of gang violence and heroin(a first for the series). One of my favorite scenes is when the characters are being chased by Jason in the sewer. It is such a dark scene, and the terror of Jason's walk as the water comes down from the ceiling was absolutely priceless.

This film was the last Paramount film of the series, and it was supposed to be the end overall, and I don't feel that the ending was as strong as it could've been.  It was definitely cool in a sense, but it still leaves the viewer a little dumbfounded.  You would think that the filmmakers would want to do something unforgettable, being it was their alleged goodbye to the biggest horror franchise in history.  The ending product was just Jason getting "killed" once again, and it wasn't even that special to be honest. 

Overall, I really like this film. I can't call it a masterpiece in any sense, but it is definitely worth a watch. I feel it has been unfairly shamed by people since its release, and I just don't get why it is so hated. I feel that it was one of the most fun entries, and I really get a kick out of watching it.  If you haven't seen this film, you should definitely give it a chance, because it will surprise you, regardless of what the mass media says. 

Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood Review

8/10

The year was 1988, and the makers of Friday the 13th wanted to change things up a little more.  The product of this became what my mind calls "Carrie Vs Jason."  This is the breaking point of the film series, because in all of the movies before, the teenagers have been completely normal.  Now the idea of supernatural characters came in, and the audience got a fresh film. I personally liked this film a lot.  While it isn't a fan favorite usually, I found it to be an extremely entertaining movie.  The cast is likable enough, the storyline is very interesting, and there are some great kills.  

The intro to this film was done very well.  I love how everything was tied together in the story, and the way everything was edited together was extremely snazzy.  After the flashbacks, the story starts with tragedy, as the main character Tina uses her powers to break a bridge on her father after he hits her mother in a drunken stupor.  This really gives us an idea of the potential this girl has in killing Jasòn right away.  

The film then goes into the present, where a Tina is brought to a doctor to help her with psychological problems.  They go back to the house she lived in as a child to figure things out.  I really like Tina, because she is easy to have sympathy for her.  You can really tell the guilt she has in causing the death of her father. Even if he was a bad man, that wasn't what she ever wanted to do to him.  The rest of the cast is also extremely likable.  Tina's mother is very good, because you can tell all of the support she tries to have with Tina, along with some great frustration.  The teenagers in this film are very cool too, because they're extremely wild and mischievous.  They're extremely funny, and they're perfect at making the film enjoyable. 

One of the my favorite parts of the film is the fact that it marks the first performance of Kane Hodder as Jason. He plays the role amazingly, because of the way he moves, and the aggressive nature that he captures.  The look of Jason is also exceptionally amazing. The mask is so cool, and the whole figure of him is just perfect.  Jason is definitely at his peak in this film. He was also extremely strong, if not at his strongest starting with this film.  One of the best examples was when he literally used his hand to punch a hole into a boy's back. 

The kills in the movie are fairly good.  Even though they were definitely slaughtered by the MPAA(no pun intended), they still have a fairly intense nature to them. I feel another reason why this one was a little less violent is the fact that the telekinesis played a major part of the film, so there was a little less room for gore and such.  

The telekinesis aspect of the film is bittersweet for me.  I like it for being different, because it really makes things fresh in the series. The problem that I do have with it is the fact that it takes away from reality side of the movies.  Yes zombie Jason is also fake, but now they have a girl basically using "the force" on everyone.  It is cool, but it's also weird.  The thing that the powers did really well was make one heck of a great ending battle.

Overall, this film is a great watch.  It may not hold the same reputation as more outrageous films like part 4, but it's a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.  I feel like it was actually one of the better made films of the series, because there was a lot more craft in the filming, and acting was actually very good. 

Halloween II(1981) Movie Review

10/10

To start this review off, I didn't have high standards for is movie.  Only one person I know told me they like it, and I didn't think it was going to be anywhere near the first one.  I think I honestly like this one a little more though.  This movie is brutal, tense as can be, and at times even funny. It's everything I could want in a horror movie.  There's a great cast, great killings, and just a great direction for a movie.  

The first thing I can say about this movie is that Michael Myérs became much more creative with his killings.  In the first film, he was more of an ax and strangling guy, but in this movie he does way more.  I think the fact that the film had a lot more opportunities for this, since it takes place in a hospital.  This film also upped the gore, and really became all the more shocking. 

The film also has a great cast.  As said in my review for the first film, Jamie Lee Curtis was perfect for the role of Laurie Strode.  She has so much dynamic in showing her fear, and even though she isn't on screen as much, she is still memorable.  Donald Pleasance is once again brilliant too, and I like his character even more in this film.  The whole hospital staff is great too, because they can be really funny, but then they are terrified at the same time. The portrayal of Michael is great in this film too, because he is much more menacing.  The only thing I will say is that his mask is a little annoying in this film.

If there is anything I can call a weakness in his film, it would be that it lost some of the subtlety of the first film. This one is a much more open, and closer to a typical slasher flick; while the first one was really one where you appreciated the small things. While I don't see this as bad, I can see why a lot of the fans of the series and critics didn't like it. 

Overall, I think this movie can be much more easily understood by horror fans.  It is big, gory, and brutal, and it's what everyone wants in a film like this.  I highly recommend it to anyone who loves slashers, because it is loads of fun!