Friday the 13th (Remake)

Marcus Nispel
2009

I'm not sure why I expected the "Friday The 13th" remake (really more of a re-imagining) to be any different from the awful spate of mediocre rehashes going 'round these days. Primarily I think it's because Jason Voorhees should be so easy. This archetypical slasher has a free pass to wallow in the "rules" of the genre, and then set itself apart through the industry's more permissive stance on graphic violence, allowing for some thrilling and creative kills. Director Nispel makes a decent popcorn-muncher for sure, but the picture's lack of chutzpa is by no means an inspiring rebirth. The decision to eschew highschool camp counselors in favor of college-age kids is a strange choice, and the cynical view would be that while violence may now be more permissive, the filmmakers wanted to avoid any backlash that might be associated with younger teens smoking drugs and diddling like rabbits. The depiction of these collegiate coeds however, is the film's crowning achievement. If only all the sacrificial lambs of slaughter cinema were as believably conveyed with their obnoxious vernacular, and social affectations. It's hard to describe just how well the kids are scripted considering that dumb youths getting offed is at the heart of the genre - and since the accepted gauge of success has become how "three dimensional" or "likable" they are, it's nice to see this one prove that you can still be successful with stock characters, as long as it's done right. Also of interest, is how the picture skirts the supernatural issue, choosing a route strongly suggesting that Jason is a living, breathing, (albeit monstrous) human being, while not closing the books on the possibility that he's an undead force of evil. The bloody setpieces range from acceptable to above average with only a few "oh shit" worthy moments. Notable scenes include Jason getting his machete caught in Willa Ford's skull, and a showdown involving a woodchipper. Of course the picture's highlight is the amazing inclusion of topless wakeboarding.