Friday the 13th - Part II

I am just going to assume you have seen the first Friday 13th movie. I mean if you haven't ... why would you watch the sequel! It clearly states so in the title, that this is not the first one. Which makes it even crazier that this rehashes the last minutes of the first film. While Cunningham didn't get how or why they would bring back Jason Vorhees (he was dead, wasn't he?), Steve Miner took over ... and quite the job he had to undertake. Make the same movie but a bit different.

So right from the start we get rid of what remained from the first movie (excluding Jason that is). And then we get more teenagers for him to be mad at. Why you ask? Does it really matter? Let's say because they can live a life he never could and he hates them for it. That should be good enough. We also get a final girl that is quite clever. Even if not as asexual as some might remember her. She's quite flirty isn't she? Rhetorical question that was.

This sequel does not just see a different Jason actor ... it sees many of them. Apparently a lot of crew members literally stepped into his shoes. Though Steve Dash is the one who seems to take most credit for it. Some may question that, with other stunt man trying to make their case, but it seems he did the heavy lifting (or glass related stunt breakthrough) ... no pun intended.

Since the first Friday movie was so popular but also had many people who were shocked at the gore it had (again quite tame from todays standards), this had quite the issues. Especially because it tried to outdo the first one. So quite a few things landed on the cutting room floor. While this has more blood then, it seems to have less nudity. Though that does not matter that much I think - it's more about the killings isn't it? I think most would agree.

While this also contains Jason as character and killer, sort of the first time, it is not the Jason most might know, especially thinking of the later movies here ...

The first Friday the 13th sequel follows the formula with more camp counselors showing up at Camp Crystal Lake and being slaughtered one by one. This is the first of the series where Jason is the killer, although he doesn't yet have his iconic hockey mask. He wears a sack over his head instead. He also gets kicked in the nads. Pretty funny, honestly.

The cast is full of young actors playing obnoxious teens and twenty-somethings. Adrienne King briefly reprises her role from the first film before Amy Steel takes over as the 'final girl.' Acting-wise, Steel's an improvement I think. This one also has more cute girls than the first movie and more nudity, which would become a prerequisite for the series. The tracking shot of Kirsten Baker's rear end as she walks through the woods is priceless. As with the first movie, I really liked the locations they filmed at. Gives an authentic atmosphere to the film without appearing cheap, like most of today's low-budget horror films do. If you like old-school slashers, you'll like this one. It's solid entertainment that you don't have to take seriously, despite the macabre subject matter.

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) is a fine sequel or continuation to the classic slasher horror film that lots of people remember, but of course it still has slasher movie cliches that at this point are dated with how bad they are.

The acting is fine for the time the movie came out and these characters will still do cliches old slasher movies would always do. Making dumb choices, ignoring any warning of danger, and running away from any unpleasant situation.

I am quite sure people know who the killer is for how well known it is, but if not, I will not say anything about it. We are mostly looking for the kills, and there are some that are effective.

There is good cinematography that gave some scary camera shots because there are good handheld camera shots that fit the scenes it is shooting; I especially liked some camera shots that were in the perspective of the killer that looked cool.

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) is a fine sequel to the slasher movie that is worth watching either by yourself or with friends and that is good for a horror movie night to enjoy for what it is. Watch this if you have seen the first movie.

Friday the 13th Part 2 is very similar to the original in feel and atmosphere. A little more of the killer is shown throughout the movie this time (stomping through the forest, hiding in the shadows...), but gone is the mystery factor that made the original so great. You know who the killer is within the first few scenes.

But that doesn't matter. It's an entertaining horror classic in it's own right, and features the most inventive finale to any of the Friday the 13th movies.

This is probably the best Friday the 13th movie even though it is not that good. There are a lot of deaths and less gore. Very action packed chase scene. Jinny was the best heroin of them all but Alice comes in second place. I did not want Alice to want Alice to die though. I wish Jinny was in all of the other movies. In conclusion this is the best Friday the 13th movie of them all.