Friday the 13th is one of the greatest slasher franchises of all time. It was my introduction to the world of slashers and horror. Ever since first discovering these films at too young of an age, I was instantly hooked for better or worse. Something about that iconic hockey masked Jason Voorhees added a cool factor to slasher antagonists. I've seen these films dozens of times each and thought it would be fun to share my own personal ranking of the franchise. My ranking isn't the same as many others you'll find online, as this is my own personal opinion. Though some of my choices may cohenside with the vast majority. So without further ado, here's my definitive ranking of all 12 (how sad... couldn't make it to 13) Friday the 13th films from worst to best.
12) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
2.5/10
Yes, Jason Goes to Hell ranks dead last on my list, and I'm not sorry for it. I remember first coming across this years ago and thought it looked awesome... That was until I actually watched it and was completely let down by the fact that Jason, while he may be in the film spiritualy, isn't in it physical aside from the very beginning and very end. The idea was that after destroying Jason Voorhees once and for all, we find that he's really just an entity that shifts bodies. Something that was never apart of the films before or after (and for good reason). The idea just doesn't work for a Friday the 13th fiilm. You may find that the first 5 minutes or so gives us hope with some very faithful and familiar vibes that we've seen from the earlier entries but was quickly ripped away from us when the military blew Jason to pieces. The film attempts to do something fresh yet fails miserably. The story is so idiotic. Apparently the only way to stop Jason is with a very specific dagger that no Friday the 13th fan has ever even heard of before. The only positive takeaway from this film is that it sets up the idea of a Freddy Krueger crossover (which we'll get to soon). Even if Jason was in the entire film physically, it would still rank dead last due to it's insanely idiotic and very forgettable plot and backstory that completely ruins Jason Voorhees' legacy.
11) Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
5/10
AHH YES, THE ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED JASON TAKES A BOAT...(RIDE TO MANHATTAN). WHAT A WAY TO SELL A FILM YET SETTLE AS SUCH A LET DOWN. ALMOST AS BAD AS JON REALLY BEING ROY (IMPOSTER JASON) FROM A NEW BEGINNING. aCTUALLY, IT MIGHT BE WORSE BECAUSE THE TITLE IS MISLEADING. AT LEAST IN PART 5 IT IS SOMETHING NEW. wHILE IT IS NICE TO GET A CHANGE IN SCENERY, THIS IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE HAD IN MIND. THIS ONE SEEMS TO CASH IN ON THE 80S POP CULTURE MORE THAN THE OTHER FILMS AND HAS A CHARM TO IT. THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT STAND OUT IN THE FRANCHISE LIKE JASON KNOCKING JULIUS' HEAD OFF WITH ONE BLOW OR THAT ICONIC MOMENT WHEN JASON SMASHES THROUGH THE PUNKS' RADIO. ASIDE FROM THAT, WE HAVE A PRETTY LOUSY FILM HERE. UNNECESSARY DELUSIONS OF JASON DROWNING THROUGHOUT THE FILM THAT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN THE PREVIOUS FILMS, AND THEY DON'T EVEN REACH MANHATTAN UNTIL OVER AN HOUR INTO THE FILM! HELL, THERE'S EVEN A MOMENT WHERE JASON FEELS LIKE A HERO FOR KILLING THE GANG BANGERS. WHILE FUN, THIS FILM IS JUST TOO ALL OVER THE PLACE... EXCEPT MANHATTAN.
10) Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning
5.5/10
THE BLACK SHEEP OF THE ORIGINAL FRANCHISE. A WELCOMING FILM BUT DOESN'T FILL THE BIG SHOES OF THE FINAL CHAPTER. HAS SOME OF THE MOST SADISTIC AND INNOVATIVE KILLS, YET ISN'T EVEN BY JASON! FEELS LIKE A FRIDAY THE 13TH FILM BUT THE CAST IS MEDICORE AND TOMMY JARVIS ISN'T EVEN LIKABLE AT ALL. SUSPENSEFUL BUILDUP OF ANTICIPATION TO SEE HOW IN THE WORLD JASON VOORHEES POSSIBLY COMES BACK AGAIN ONLY TO FIND THAT IT'S JUST AN IMPOSTER.
9) Jason X
6/10
BY THE 10TH FILM, WHAT COULD YOU EXPECT FROM THE FRANCHISE? THROUGH ALL THE UPS AND DOWNS, WHY NOT JUST SAY FUCK IT AND HAVE SOME FUN HERE? IN TERMS OF A fRIDAY THE 13TH FILM AT ITS CORE, THIS IS FAR FROM ONE BUT MANAGES TO MAKE A DECENT EARLY 2000S SLASHER REGARDLESS WITH THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE THROUGH THE ROOF. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE FILM, WE'RE DEALING WITH A VERY ICONIC FRANCHISE. IT HAS SOME CREATIVE KILLS AND FEATURES JASON NOT ONLY IN SPACE, BUT THE FUTURE! ONLY THINKING OF THIS IDEA WOULD BE MIND BLOWING BACK IN THE 80'S FOR JASON VOORHEES. IT'S NOT A GREAT FILM BUT NOT A TERRIBLE ONE. IT GETS A LITTLE MORE HATE THAN IT SHOULD BASED ON ITS REPUTATION. THOUGH WHEN LOOKING AT THE OTHER FILMS IN THE SERIES, IT JUST HAS TOO MUCH COMPETITION.
8) Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
6/10
AT THIS POINT, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO TOP SOME OF THE BETTER FILMS IN THE SERIES, SO IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE WHY THIS ONE WAS A LITTLE OFF THE WALL. NO ONE CAN STOP JASON, BUT WHAT ABOUT A GIRL WITH TELEKINETIC POWERS!? AS IDIOTIC AS THAT SOUNDS, IT'S ENTERTAINING AS HELL. THE PRODUCTION QUALITY IS ON PAR WITH JASON LIVES! AND FEATURES QUITE POSSIBLY THE BEST LOOKING JASON YET. THOUGH CLEARLY REHASHING THE QUALITIES THAT MAKES THE FRANCHISE SO GREAT BECOMES REDUNDANT AND THE DUMB IDEA OF RAISING TINA'S DEAD FATHER FROM THE LAKE TO PULL JASON BACK IN THE WATER BRINGS THE FILM'S OVERALL RATING DOWN A COUPLE NOTCHES FOR ME. NOT TO MENTION, HER POWERS ARE WHAT BROUGHT JASON BACK IN THE FIRST PLACE...
7) Friday the 13th (2009)
6.5/10
FORGET ABOUT WHATEVER EVERYONE ELSE SAYS ABOUT THIS FILM. IT'S DECENT AND A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN THE A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET REMAKE. PEOPLE ARE HARD ON THIS ONE. IT HAS SOME FLAWS BUT ISN'T A BAD REMAKE FOR TODAY'S HORROR SLASHER STANDARDS. IN FACT, I'D SAY THIS ERA WAS MUCH BETTER FOR SLASHERS THAN THE CURRENT ERA OF MAKING SEQUELS TO THE ORIGINALS ANYWAYS. HOW DO YOU DO A REMAKE SINCE THE ORIGINAL FILM WAS NOT ABOUT THE ICONIC HOCKEY MASK KILLER? COMBINE THE FIRST 3 OR 4 FILMS ALL INTO 1. IT'S A GENIUS IDEA WITH DECENT ENOUGH PACING TO MAKE IT WORK. YOU HAVE THE MOTHER BEING BEHEADED FROM PART 1 IN THE INTRO CREDITS, THEN BASICALLY PART 2 RIGHT AFTER AND BEFORE THE TITLE APPEARS, THEN SO ON. IT'S COOL TO SEE JASON'S EVOLUTION ALL IN 1 FILM. AS IF THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE THIS THE FRIDAY THE 13TH MOVIE TO WATCH. THOUGH AGAIN, IT ISN'T PERFECT AS SOME OF THE CHARACTERS ARE SO CLICHE AND EVERYTHING IS FAIRLY BASIC FOR A FRIDAY THE 13TH FILM. IT'S NOT THE WORST LIKE A LOT MAKE IT OUT TO BE, BUT NOT THE BEST EITHER. ENJOYABLE NONE THE LESS.
6) Friday the 13th Part 2
7/10
LESS AND SORT OF MEDIOCRE KILLS COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL. UNEXPLAINED DEATHS (PAUL HOLT AND TERRY MCCARTHY) AND WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE COUNSELORS THAT LEFT!? GINNY IS A GOOD RIVAL. ALMOST AS GOOD AS TOMMY JARVIS. THE STORY IS GOOD AND OVERALL ENTERTAINING. THAT PACKANACK LODGE IS SO NOSTALGIC. WITH THAT SAID, FOR ME PERSONALLY THERE'S JUST 5 FILMS THAT STACK BETTER.
5) Freddy vs Jason
7.5/10
FREDDY VS JASON WAS A SLASHER FANATIC'S WET DREAM THAT BECAME A REALITY. AFTER TEASING THE IDEA IN JASON GOES TO HELL, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN DUE TO IT ONLY TAKING OVER A DECADE! I'D SAY THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT. THIS WAS MY FIRST FILM I SAW FROM EITHER FRANCHISE SO THIS ONE IS KIND OF SPECIAL TO ME. IT PERFORMED BETTER THAN ANY OTHER FILM IN BOTH FRANCHISES IN THE BOX OFFICE. THE IDEA OF TAKING FREDDY AND JASON AND MAKING THEM FIGHT TO THE DEATH SEEMS COMPLICATED BUT THEY SURPRISIINGLY PULLED OFF A PRETTY SOLID STORY HERE. EVEN JASON'S BACKSTORY AND FOOTAGE OF HIS CHILDHOOD TRAUMA GOES INTO DETAIL MORE THAN IN ANY FRIDAY THE 13TH FILM. THOUGH THIS FILM IS DEFINITELY NOT PERFECT. THEY TOYED WITH JASON'S WEAKNESSES AND CHILDHOOD JUST LIKE IN JASON TAKES MANHATTAN, THEY ACT LIKE JASON CAN'T EVEN BARE TO TOUCH WATER HERE (THOUGH HE HAS KILLED VICTIMS IN THE WATER MANY TIMES BEFORE), THE ACTING IS A LITTLE TOO DRAMATIC AT TIMES IN THE WAY THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME. WITH THESE THINGS BEING SAID, THERE'S AN EPIC FIGHT HERE BETWEEN FREDDY AND JASON. THEY SOMEHOW MADE THE STORY WORK, AND WHILE FREDDY MAY SEEM TO BE THE MAIN ANTAGONIST HERE, JASON NEVER HOLDS BACK. THEY DON'T MAKE JASON SOME HERO FOR FIGHTING FREDDY, JE'S JUST A BIG DISTRACTION THAT STILL KILLS ANYONE IN HIS WAY AND THAT'S WHY THIS FILM HOLDS UP.
4) Friday the 13th (1980)
8/10
THE ORIGINAL FRIDAY THE 13TH FILM IS ENTERTAINING, FEELS FRESH WITHOUT JASON AS THE KILLER, AND SORT OF FEELS LIKE A STAND ALONE SLASHER FILM. CHARACTERS AREN'T ANYTHING SPECIAL BUT DO A DECENT ENOUGH JOB AND ARE PERFECT VICTIMS FOR PAMELA VOORHEES. I LOVE THE SETTING, SCENARY, AND ENVIRONMENT. FOR BEING OVER 40 YEARS OLD, IT DOESN'T FEEL TOO OVER THE TOP AND COMPETES WELL WITH THE LIKES OF OTHER MAINSTREAM HORROR FROM THE PAST DECADE LIKE HALLOWEEN AND THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. SAY WHAT YOU WILL, THE ORIGINAL IS A CLASSIC.
3) Friday the 13th Part III
8.5/10
AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FRANCHISE BUT ARE STILL GIVEN SOME EPIC SHOCK VALUE AND OF COURSE INTRODUCES THE HOCKEY MASK THAT WOULD BECOME THE STAPLE IN THE FRANCHISE. PART III TO ME IS ONE OF THE BEST AND ABSOLUTELY DESERVES TO BE IN ANY FRIDAY THE 13TH FAN'S TOP 3. THIS ONE FEATURES A UNIQUE 3D PERSPECTIVE AND HAS SOME CREATIVE KILLS. IT'S ENTERTAINING ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND HAS SOME OF THE BEST CHARACTERS AND PAYS HOMAGE TO THE 1ST FILM WITH JASON'S MOM JUMPING OUT OF THE LAKE AT THE END INSTEAD OF JASON. IT'S A CLASSIC THAT I RECOMMEND TO ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING TO GET INTO THE FRANCHISE.
2) Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives!
9.5/10
jASON lIVES! IS PROBABLY THE MOST ENTERTAINING OF ALL AND I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR THIS FILM BECAUSE I MET SOME OF THE CAST. GREAT TIMES. YOU KNOW IT'S BAD WHEN THEY TRY TO COVER UP THE LAST FILM (A NEW BEGINNING) THAT WAS ONLY MADE A YEAR PRIOR BY COMPLETELY DISREGARDING IT ENTIRELY AND REPLACING THE ACTOR THAT PLAYS TOMMY JARVIS. IT'S THE FILM PART 5 SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THIS IS THE START OF THE "ZOMBIE JASON" ERA WHERE THEY STOPPED TAKING THEMSELVES SO SERIOUSLY FOR BETTER OR WORSE. THOUGH THIS ENTRY IS STILL ENTERTAINING ALL AROUND AND LIVES UP TO ITS PREDECESSORS. A PERFECT COMBINATION OF SLASHER AND COMEDY WITH A STORY THAT FOLLOWS THE FINAL CHAPTER BETTER THAN A NEW BEGINNING EVER COULD. THE ONLY REASON THIS FILM ISN'T NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST IS DUE TO HOW WELL THE FINAL CHAPTER DEFINES THE SERIES AS A WHOLE AND PERSONALLY, I PREFER "HUMAN JASON".
1) Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
10/10
THIS IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL FRIDAY THE 13TH FILM. THE OVERALL BEST PACING, EVENLY DISTRIBUTED COMBINATION OF HORROR AND QUIRKY 80S SLASHER ELEMENTS INCLUDING CHEESY LINES AND TEEN SEX, THE PRIME EXAMPLE. IF I WERE TO ONLY RECOMMEND 1 FRIDAY THE 13TH FILM TO SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER SEEN ANY OF THE FILMS, I'D PICK THIS ONE EVERY TIME. FEATURES A GREAT CAST (YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH COREY FELDMAN OR CRISPIN GLOVER). AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW THE HOCKEY MASK IS HERE TO STAY AND THAT THIS JASON GUY IS NO JOKE. THERE'S NO STOPPING HIM! OR IS THERE? THAT'S WHAT GIVES THIS ONE SO MUCH ANTICIPATION IS THAT IT'S THE FINAL CHAPTER. EVERYTHING THAT THIS JASON GUY'S BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE UP TO THIS POINT, HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY END? AND THEY DO A GREAT WAY OF DOING SO TOO WITH A PRETTY CONVINCING PERFORMANCE BY YOUNG COREY FELDMAN. THE FILM CONTAINS SOME GREAT KILLS WITH A GREAT CAST OF VICTIMS. A GOOD STAND ALONE STORY YET ACKNOWLEDGES THE PREVIOUS FILMS AS WELL. YOU COULD PICK THIS ONE OUT ON A DAY LIKE TODAY AND WATCH IT WITHOUT THE NEED OF WATCHING OTHER FILMS FIRST. I CAN'T REALLY EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW GREAT THIS FILM IS.
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