Ten movies, and that’s not including the crossover with Freddy in ‘Freddy vs. Jason.’ I’m going to take a look at the best of the ‘Friday the 13th’ franchise. Which movies are worth watching? Of course, you have to watch them all to follow the very complex storyline (yes, that was sarcasm), as they mostly follow on from each other.

News just in - there’s a new movie coming out next year, starring Jared Padalecki from ‘Supernatural’ fame, the script isn’t finalised, so I’m not sure if this is going to be another disgusting re-make of a classic horror. I have also just read about a possible re-make of ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ – excluding Robert Englund. After ‘Psycho’ and ‘Halloween’, I’m still shocked. If you want to put a stop to this there is a petition link at the bottom of this article.

Friday the 13th (The Original)

This is the best in the franchise, basically because it was the first and it had a great double twist ending. As any ‘Scream’ fan will know, the infamous Jason Vorhees plays only a minor role in this cult classic, making the movie more ‘realistic’ and less supernatural than any of the films that followed. The film is also made all the better by great performances from young actors, such as the hero, Adrienne King (Alice), who puts in a great performance as the main character.
The death scenes are scary and gory, and there’s no CGI, this was when audiences were really left asking, ‘how did they do that?’
The story is very simple, and I would say, that 13th is the first real ‘slasher’ movie, where teens are just sliced and diced, one after the other. The score, also now iconic, is used very well.

Friday the 13th: Part 2

This is the movie where Jason first picks up his machete, Adrienne King puts in another performance in the opening scene. However, the film is carried by Amy Steel (Ginny), this time, and she’s a very good actress also, as anyone who’s seen ‘April Fool’s Day’ will attest. Again, the story is even simpler than the original. With a group of teens experimenting with pre-marital sex, drugs and alcohol, all the while getting a new camp ready, sadly it’s still on Crystal Lake. They quickly end up dead at the hands of ‘the back from the dead’, Jason.
The film does have some scares and also some very comical moments.

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

The story, having carried on through the films, is now at number six. This is one of the better movies, because it brings back some tension and believability into the characters. Tommy (Thom Mathews) visiting Jason's grave after being released from a mental institution. It is revealed that Jason's body was never actually cremated, but buried in Forest Green cemetery. Tommy accidentally resurrects Jason (C.J. Graham) via a piece of cemetery fence, which acts as a lightning rod (think Frankenstein). Jason returns to Forest Green, still believing it is Crystal Lake. After killing the new camp counselors working there, Jason is chained to a boulder, by Tommy, to the bottom of the lake. Jason is left to die.

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

This movie begins at an undisclosed amount of time after ‘Jason Lives.’ Jason (now being played by Kane Hodder) is resurrected again, this time by the telekinetic Tina Shepard (Lar Park Lincoln), who was trying to resurrect her father. The character of Tina adds a great dynamic to the story, (think, ‘Carrie’ vs. Jason). Tina is also a very well, fleshed out character, with a back story, which makes you care about what happens to her more. With Jason killing those who occupy Crystal Lake, a battle with Tina ensues, which is the best fight sequence in all the 13th movies. This movie, along with the original, are in my opinion, the best out of the franchise.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday

After the terrible, ‘Jason takes Manhattan,’ we return to some semblance on of normality. Jason, through unexplained resurrection, returns to Crystal Lake, where he is hunted by the F.B.I.. The F.B.I. sets up a sting to kill Jason, which proves successful, and great fun to watch, as they try to kill him with everything known to man. Through possession, Jason manages to survive by passing his black heart from one being to the next. Though Jason is hardly seen throughout the film, it is learned that he has a sister and niece, and that he needs them to get his body back. After resurrecting his own body, Jason is finally killed by his niece, Jessica Kimble (Kari Keegan), and dragged to Hell. Then follows the infamous scene, where Freddy Kruger’s glove comes up out of the ground and drags Jason’s mask back down with him, leaving us open for Freddy vs. Jason.
This is another of the better 13th movies, with a creepier Jason and better cinematography and tension.