Venerdì 13

"Friday the 13th" is a Thriller - Horror movie in which we follow a group of young adults who venture to Camp Crystal Lake, only to encounter the iconic killer lurking in the woods.

I wasn't fascinated by this movie because despite the solid scares and brutal kills, it fell into the trap of relying too heavily on formulaic slasher tropes. The film's biggest strength is its ability to provide the kind of slasher violence fans expect-Jason is relentless, and the kills are gory and creative. The cinematography captures the eerie atmosphere of the campgrounds, and the tension is palpable in some of the film's more suspenseful moments. However, much like other slasher reboots, the movie struggles with its lack of compelling characters. The group of victims feels interchangeable, making it difficult to connect with their fates and care for them. Despite offering some enjoyable moments for fans of the franchise, the movie fails to break new ground. The plot is predictable, and while the movie tries to flesh out Jason's backstory more than previous entries, it doesn't do enough to make him more menacing or interesting. In conclusion, I have to say that "Friday the 13th" is an average reboot that offers some thrills for slasher fans but doesn't stand out in a genre already filled with similar movies.

A group of young adults set up tent near the abandoned summer camp where a series of gruesome murders are said to have taken place back in 1980. The perpetrator was a grieving mother, driven insane by the drowning of her child, Jason, whom she believed was neglected by the camp counselors. As legend has it, the last survivor of the attacks beheaded the woman. But then Jason came back, and now he is a vengeful and inexorable killer, wielding crossbows, swords, axes and other sharp instruments. The legend proves horribly true, as these campers quickly discover. Six months later, the brother of one of those campers distributes posters of his missing sister. The police believe she took off with her boyfriend; but he knows better. The brother crosses paths with an uptight young rich guy who is having his girlfriend and friends over at his parents' cabin. The brother ends up at the cabin himself just before his sister's attacker sets upon them all.

In brief: we meet a group of annoying people who, happily, are quickly dispatched. Then we are unhappy to meet a new group of even more annoying people who take longer to get killed off. Didn't we sometimes see things from Jason's point of view in the original "Friday the 13th" series? I would have preferred to see everything from his point of view because I was squarely on his side.

It's depressing seeing this old schlock revived with a glossy sheen, a generous budget and a certain amount of technical efficiency. A certain cold, mechanical efficiency. Everything is shot too dark, with extreme close-ups of the action and in tiny little bits of film that race by too quickly for us to get a good read on what's going on until it's over. My frequent thought: "Oh, that would have been scary." Viewers unfamiliar with the original series will wonder about the superfluous back story regarding the mother, the single hint of the supernatural that isn't followed up on until the end and the mysteriously dwelt-upon moment where the killer discovers a hockey mask and decides to start wearing it. "A MYTH IS BORN!!" Give me a break.

"Jason was my son, and today is his birthday…" Twelve birthdays have passed for the masked killer Jason Voorhees since the series was born thirty years ago back in the golden age of slasher films. Of the slew of terms studios use to avoid the word 'remake' I suppose the best term to describe the latest 13th film would be rejuvenation. The series started its downward spiral after part IV and while director Marcus Nipsel's doesn't wipe the slate clean, he ads enough pizazz to make it the best of the series in nearly two decades.

To give credit where it is due, this film does a number of things with the Jason character that are certainly a relief. Nipsel has opted to do away with the supernatural element and the super-zombie- Jason angle as well as giving Jason some spunk and cunning that he left with him at the bottom of Crystal Lake before part VI. Along with discarding these cumbersome characteristics, Jason is graced with a hunter/gatherer mentality that has him setting snares, traps and siphoning gasoline from locals. This is what the character should be; a loner forced to fend for himself in the forest; disturbed and deadly.

From the get go I thought this movie was a disaster. Never before had I seen poorer character development or less tense of a build- up. But don't leave the theatre so soon, as the opening act is graced with a nifty twist that you will not see coming. The calibre of the acting has never been a prominent staple of the Friday films, but this latest offering certainly comes closest to what could be considered as such. The dialogue is acceptable, only occasionally displaying the wince factor, and the leads are likable enough that you care just enough that you don't wish for a machete to the skull.

Years have passed since young Jason drowned at Camp Crystal lake, and the rein of Pamela Voorhees (Nana Visitor in a cameo) has been cut short…pun intended. Returning to the town of terror, much to the chagrin of the sheriff is Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki) who longs to find his sister (Amanda Righetti) who disappeared along with her friends a month prior. Clay's journey intertwines with a group of friends venturing to a cabin for a weekend of booze, boobs and bongs including Jenna (Danielle Panabaker), the cabins snooty owner, Trent (Travis Van Winkle) the resident stoner, Chewie (Not to be confused with Chewbacca, Aaron Yoo) among others. Their story lines are forced closer together still as people go missing, and soon the terrifying force from the nearby abandoned camp is revealed.

Aside from the Jason overhaul, who can run, jump and kill with the best of them, I enjoyed how the director managed to make the characters do stupid things, without making the characters themselves seem equally idiotic. The way the story unfolds, it is only the frantic ramblings of a few characters that claim a threat, which allows the others to wander to their bloody demises. There are still all the trademark Friday elements; a lot of booze, a lot of pot and a lot of nudity (which is overdone at times) When Jason first rears his ugly head, he has not yet donned his hockey mask, and I was interested to see if they could have him happen across it in an uncontrived manner; I was pleased if not blown away.

Fans of the series should at least be content with the latest offering, but really there is nothing new enough to become ecstatic about. One death aside, it is predictable, and the gore and deaths are less inventive then the early films. There are moments of tension to be certain, and the climax, like all Friday films, does not fail to disappoint. Disposable, but nothing special, when Jason does return I am hoping for a full overhaul of the horror icon that will not be as unlucky as its title implies.

6.5 / 10.0

Read all my reviews at: http://www.simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com

THe Friday the 13th films have never been what you would call good movies. For me they have always been guilty pleasures, but not something I would recommend to fans not into gory movies where there are occasional scares but no real suspense built up. After seeing this latest entry, which is really a remake of the first four films into one, I can't really say its bad. Horror movie fans who love creative killings will love it, but if you're not a horror movie fan of the slasher genre, then I really can't tell you to see this movie. However if this is your type of thing, go see it.

Now on with the plot, which I really won't go into detail about because we already know what it's about. It starts off with a pitiful prelude that goes back to 1980 and found me rolling my eyes, but afterward it gets better. Young adults go camping, young adults die in nasty ways. THe one wrinkle added to the story is that one of the character's (Jared Padelecki from Supernatural on the WB) is brought into the story because he is looking for his sister. THis sister was involved with the first group of victims, and now there is this second group who know of nothing that has happened to the other group because it has been about six weeks since the first group went missing. You all know what happens next, so I won't say anything more.

Most of the cast was competent, better then many of the ones from the earlier films. THere were a few who were annoying, but that is part of the Friday The 13th scenario. I like the new Jason because he is much more active in the role, much like the Jason from the 2nd and 3rd entries back in the early to mid 80s.

I will give the movie a solid 7 out of 10. It went out and did what it was supposed to, but if you are more into the suspenseful horror films, and not hack and slash with a few jump scares, then Friday the 13th 2009 is not for you.

Yet another remake, with an ending that leaves scope for another remake. Kane 'Jason Vorhees' Hodder isn't in it, maybe because he read the script. Also, possibly the lamest dialogue ever.

A couple go into an old shack - she says 'maybe a homeless guy lives here.' They go into a bathroom with a string of fairy lights all lit up - he says 'someone's been here recently.' A guy rides his motorbike out to a secluded cabin. A girl asks him 'does it run'?

I liked the original series. Yes they were nothing intellectual, but they were good escapism. With all the novels, short stories, graphic stories out there they have to keep doing remakes? I don't get it.