I was kind of ambivalent about the fact that I liked this movie so much, but then I saw that it was the highest rated on IMDb since part 1. I wouldn't go that far, but I agree it is one of the better entries in the series.
It was marketed as a "reboot" rather than a remake, and I think this is appropriate. The Jason mythos as we have previously known it was developed through a series of afterthoughts and coincidences, and it was only a matter of luck that it evolved into something awesome. For example, Jason himself was a creation of Tom Savini, who suggested that Jason's appearance would be a cool ending to the first film. Jason's seeming immortality only became part of the mythos when fans got upset about his absence from part 5, and studios decided that he had to rise from the grave.
Thus, though the fan has a cohesive picture of Jason's story, no single film presents a complete portrait. That's where this film shines. It draws from the ideas of the entire series and presents them all in a unified 97 minutes (and I do mean 97 minutes--don't bother with the 'killer cut' DVD). The biggest punch comes in the first 20 minutes, summarizing the first two films before showing the title screen, and featuring the coolest sleeping bag death in the whole series.
There's also a depth to this film that I wasn't expecting (nor where the creators intending it--I think it was an accident). In previous films, Jason represented the hurt, vindictive, ugly, angry side of the viewer. We cheered for him so that we might vindicate ourselves vicariously. The "jerk" always died a terrible death, and the "good" girl usually survived. This was awesome, but a bit shallow.
Without spoiling anything, I will say that Jason is no longer such an adolescent indulgence. Instead, he is a champion of death itself: inevitable, indiscriminate. He doesn't care who you are. The question in this film is not who will die, but rather how the characters will react when confronted with the possibility of death. The highest point in the film, IMO, is at the intersection of Jason, Chewie, and Laurence.
As far as I can tell, the two biggest criticisms this film has received from fans are that there is too little gore and too many bared breasts. Permit me to argue against these criticisms: first, the Friday the 13th movies have NEVER been gory. Ever. This isn't the series for gorehounds. The only film to be immediately available uncut was part 9, which fans reject as not a true entry in the series. Second...really? You're complaining about breasts? I have nothing to say to you.
Some closing thoughts: the film fizzles out a bit after the spectacular opening. Jason himself looks pretty darn cool in my opinion, especially with the potato sack over his head, but doesn't get as much screen time as he should. The "filler" component of the film is as good as it's ever been, with some genuinely funny dialogue and one or two worthwhile characters. By mainstream standards, the characters are still pretty stupid, but I don't think fans of the series really have anything to complain about.
It was marketed as a "reboot" rather than a remake, and I think this is appropriate. The Jason mythos as we have previously known it was developed through a series of afterthoughts and coincidences, and it was only a matter of luck that it evolved into something awesome. For example, Jason himself was a creation of Tom Savini, who suggested that Jason's appearance would be a cool ending to the first film. Jason's seeming immortality only became part of the mythos when fans got upset about his absence from part 5, and studios decided that he had to rise from the grave.
Thus, though the fan has a cohesive picture of Jason's story, no single film presents a complete portrait. That's where this film shines. It draws from the ideas of the entire series and presents them all in a unified 97 minutes (and I do mean 97 minutes--don't bother with the 'killer cut' DVD). The biggest punch comes in the first 20 minutes, summarizing the first two films before showing the title screen, and featuring the coolest sleeping bag death in the whole series.
There's also a depth to this film that I wasn't expecting (nor where the creators intending it--I think it was an accident). In previous films, Jason represented the hurt, vindictive, ugly, angry side of the viewer. We cheered for him so that we might vindicate ourselves vicariously. The "jerk" always died a terrible death, and the "good" girl usually survived. This was awesome, but a bit shallow.
Without spoiling anything, I will say that Jason is no longer such an adolescent indulgence. Instead, he is a champion of death itself: inevitable, indiscriminate. He doesn't care who you are. The question in this film is not who will die, but rather how the characters will react when confronted with the possibility of death. The highest point in the film, IMO, is at the intersection of Jason, Chewie, and Laurence.
As far as I can tell, the two biggest criticisms this film has received from fans are that there is too little gore and too many bared breasts. Permit me to argue against these criticisms: first, the Friday the 13th movies have NEVER been gory. Ever. This isn't the series for gorehounds. The only film to be immediately available uncut was part 9, which fans reject as not a true entry in the series. Second...really? You're complaining about breasts? I have nothing to say to you.
Some closing thoughts: the film fizzles out a bit after the spectacular opening. Jason himself looks pretty darn cool in my opinion, especially with the potato sack over his head, but doesn't get as much screen time as he should. The "filler" component of the film is as good as it's ever been, with some genuinely funny dialogue and one or two worthwhile characters. By mainstream standards, the characters are still pretty stupid, but I don't think fans of the series really have anything to complain about.