Reviews

I'm a bit surprised the rating for this movie isn't a bit higher on here. I've read some of the negative reviews and I have to disagree with most of them. This is a pretty entertaining film all around, with a love story for those into that sort of thing but enough elements of a thriller to not put off the males in the audience. Personally, I think they blended the two genres together pretty well here.

Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston did fine in their respective roles and the film had a nice pace throughout.

I also have to commend this film for some pretty tense scenes that I don't think the other reviews gave enough credit for. The scene at the Oscars was pretty good stuff. The mystery of the stalker kept the momentum going, and the letters and phone calls were genuinely creepy.

This may not be a bona fide classic, but it's certainly a very entertaining early '90s romance/thriller with some good songs thrown in as well.

I can't imagine what disappointed the others. Maybe they should remove something from their behind area before watching a movie.

This is just one of those movies that makes you feel good, no matter what age you are. If you're a kid, you'll love it for the fun characters and the humor. If you're an adult, it will bring back fond memories of childhood that will make you wistful to go back to those days again.

I first saw this movie on HBO when I was a kid and found it to be a pretty entertaining/funny movie with some animated characters and an amusing sub-plot about a killer dog. It was fun for what it was. But I have to say, I think the adult audience has the bigger end of the stick here. Re-watching it as an adult brings a perspective to it that most kids are too young to grasp: experience and time. This film romanticizes childhood and does a pretty damn good job of it, too. You will be hard-pressed to not find yourself thinking about how you were at that age and remembering old friends that you probably haven't seen or heard from in many years. This film stirred up so many memories I had forgotten and even made me quite sad.

This movie and "Stand By Me" are probably two of the greatest movies about adolescence you can watch. The feelings and emotions are timeless and representative of a time in our lives that is gone way too soon but never forgotten.

If you're having a hard time or maybe even just a bad day, put this film on and go back to the days when everything was much simpler, the biggest problem in life was what to do on a Saturday afternoon, and your friends were the most important thing in the world. If only we could capture these memories in a bottle and relive them any time we wanted. But since we can't, this film will have to do.

There are a few "Friday" fans out there that can actually enjoy this film for what it is instead of complaining about what it's not.

Yes, the plot is a big departure from the previous films, but once you get over it, it's a pretty fun '80s slasher film with plenty of creative kills and some great chase sequences.

The acting is surprisingly solid for a series' fifth entry as well. I really never understood the complaints about the acting in these films, as to me it's always been passable and certainly above most of the slasher rip-offs the decade was littered with.

This time, the action takes place at a halfway house in the sticks where Tommy Jarvis, survivor of the previous bloodbath, comes to stay after an undetermined amount of time in a mental hospital. But Tommy can't seem to catch a break, as the bodies of the troubled kids soon begin piling up after his arrival. Is it Jason? Tommy? One of the locals who has a grudge against the disturbed kids? I won't spoil that here.

This film has the highest body count in the series, with barely enough time to breathe before the next murder is set up. Thankfully, the series retains its creative flair when it comes to dispatching the victims. Some highlights include a head crushed against a tree with a leather strap, a road flare being improperly used, and a death in an outhouse. There's also a nice moment you can only get in '80s horror involving a girl doing the Robot dance in her bedroom to Pseudo Echo's catchy song "His Eyes." Terrific.

If there's anything that sets this sequel apart from its brothers and sisters, it's the overall tone of the film, which is much darker this time around. This can be good or bad, depending on what you prefer: a fun slasher sequel like part 3, this is not.

The final 20 minutes really get the action going as well. Fans of nudity will also rejoice, as this has the most pair of breasts shown in a "Friday the 13th" film to date.

I found this better than part four, which I realize puts me on a chopping block with other fans. But I call it like I see it.

"The Final Chapter" is widely regarded by "Friday" fans as one of the best sequels in the series, and the best of the original four films. Call me an oddball, but I'm just not feeling it. Like all "Friday" movies, this one is still largely entertaining for sure, but there's something different this time around. It's not just the addition of a kid into the usual mix of horny teenagers, or the fact that we see a family in peril for once--it's the atmosphere and tone of the film that feels off.

The plot picks up directly where part III left off: Jason is "dead" and taken to the morgue, where we encounter some of the most irresponsible and vile hospital workers I've seen in a horror film. After dry humping near Jason's dead body (was the setting a turn-on?), our masked hero wakes up and the carnage begins anew. This time around, the setting for Jason's massacre is two adjacent houses in the middle of the country: one occupied by the Jarvis family (with young Corey Feldman playing Tommy Jarvis, a character who would go on to be in the next two sequels), and the other by a vacationing group of young, slutty teenagers. You can guess what happens when Jason makes his way from the morgue to find more kids partying on his lake.

While the acting is probably the best of the series and Tom Savini returns to do the gory make-up effects once again after being absent since the original, something just doesn't quite feel right here. Maybe it's the fact that this is the first film in the series to feel so obviously '80s, or the fact that none of the teenagers are likable in this one. Among the usual group of stereotypes, we get two twins, one of whom wastes no time in trying to sleep with every male member of the cast (even while their girlfriends stand by watching), and a young Crispin Glover, who has a bit of a problem in the bedroom department. The guys exist to constantly compete with the women or pick on one another. As for the Jarvis family, young Corey Feldman is certainly likable as Tommy, and Kimberly Beck is a nice addition to the cast. There is also a sub-plot involving a character named Rob, whose sister was one of Jason's victims in the previous films. Now he's out to avenge her death.

The film suffers from some odd and confusing editing in the third act. Jason seems to be all over the place with no rhyme or reason to his actions. One second he's outside, then he's up on the roof, then he's out by Rob's tent in the woods, then he's in the living room, then he's outside again...I'm not sure if this was how the script was written, but it sure was pretty confusing trying to figure out why Jason couldn't just make things easier on himself. At one point, after Jason dispatches of one of the kids in the kitchen, instead of going straight into the living room to pick off his next victim, he goes back outside and goes onto the roof to get someone in an upstairs bedroom. Far be it from me to question Jason's methods, but this seems rather impractical.

The chase sequence at the end is certainly not a let-down, with Jason managing to be truly scary at some points. To those who claim Jason never ran, you obviously haven't seen this film.

As for the most advertised part of the film--Jason's demise--it is good, if not somewhat anticlimactic. But of course, we all know it wasn't the end anyway.

While I consider this the weakest entry out of the original four films, it is still certainly worth a watch. If you loved the previous films, you'll like this one. I just didn't have as much fun this time around.

"Friday the 13th" is one of those love it or hate it movies. On one side, you've got the people judging it based on its technical merits such as script, acting, etc. and on the other, you've got those who just appreciate it for what it is: a good, fun movie whose only purpose is to scare. And that it does.

While not as technically accomplished as "Halloween", I find "Friday the 13th" to be the more entertaining film. The story is simple, but rather than being a bad thing, its lack of plot complications is oddly comforting. The story begins at Camp Crystal Lake in 1958, when two horny counselors are murdered by an unknown assailant. Flash forward to 1980, and a group of kids are all making their way to the infamous camp site to help the owner, Steve Christy, get the place in shape for re-opening. Almost from the start, we are warned of the terrible events to come in the form of the town crazy, Ralph, who ominously warns one of the characters that Camp Crystal Lake has a "death curse." Thankfully for us, the kids don't let all of the scary talk affect them, and soon enough we begin to see the old killer get back in action--dispatching of the apple-faced youngsters in a variety of creative ways.

This movie was widely renowned for its creative murder sequences back in 1980--something which every film after it tried to copy shamelessly. As a result, some of the more bizarre murders might seem tame in comparison to what we've seen in the ensuing 30 years after its release. However, this doesn't take away from their entertainment value.

What really works for this movie is the setting, which is so simple yet so classic. Every American ventures out into the wilderness to go camping at some point, and this movie is the equivalent of those camp fire ghost stories you tell to scare your friends. Every time I go camping now, I can't help but think of this film's prowler creeping around the woods outside my cabin and hearing that iconic "ki ki ki ma ma ma" sound in the back of my head. This movie did for outdoors trips what "Jaws" did for the beach.

This film has rightfully carved out a niche in popular culture--the film equivalent of an urban legend told to scare future generations of kids out of their wits and make them think twice about wandering around camp alone in the dark.

No, it's not award-winning material, but it doesn't have to be. Appreciate it for what it is, and you can't go wrong.

Obviously, no "Friday the 13th" film is going to be Oscar material. You have to judge a film based on what it set out to do, and decide whether it met that goal or not. I don't think it's fair to judge these films by the same criteria as "The Godfather" or something.

If you go into this movie just expecting to have fun, you won't be disappointed. The story is essentially the same as every other "Friday" film, with a minor twist: this time it takes place on a little ranch owned by one of the main characters. Jason, fresh off his killing spree in part 2, makes his way across the countryside to find a new batch of hormonal kids vacationing at Crystal Lake. Of course, this time it looks nothing like the Crystal Lake from the previous two films, seeing as it was filmed on a ranch in California instead of New Jersey, but oh well.

The kids are all walking stereotypes--pretty much the only way to give them any characterization in a 90-minute movie that has to dispatch one of them every ten minutes. There's a pair of stoners that look older than the rest of the cast and make you question what they're even doing there, a hefty practical joker, and a couple expecting a baby of all things. But they all manage to be likable enough, and thankfully there is no one irritating enough to make you wish they would die already. There is no "mean girl" or "jerk"; they all seem to be friends, which is nice.

Jason gets his hands on the famous hockey mask in this installment, courtesy of one dead joker. The kills are the most creative in the series thus far, obviously taking advantage of the original 3D format this was released in back in 1982: one character's eyeball pops out at the screen in what must have been a pretty cool gag in 3D, an unlucky guy doing a handstand gets split in two, and a harpoon gun is put to deadly use.

The highlight of the film is the chase sequence in the final act. The "Friday" films are known for some of the most entertaining chase scenes, and this one is no exception. It starts out in a cabin and goes all over the place from there, with Jason pursuing our terrified heroine relentlessly. Jason is actually creepy in this film--some form of degenerate who runs (not walks) after his victims with something approaching excitement. Wait until you see him unmasked later in the film--clearly he is not feeling burdened by his work.

This is a perfect movie to put on with friends. It's entertaining, fun, and you'll have a blast watching these goof-balls bite it in interesting ways. You'll laugh at the dialogue, chuckle at some of the acting, and jump at some of the scares. So order a pizza, grab some beer, and just sit back and enjoy.

This remains my favorite "Friday the 13th" sequel, with part 3 coming in at a close 2nd.

The setting is pretty much the same as the original: a group of young adults gather at a lodge on Camp Crystal Lake for a counselor training course. And, as expected, someone shows up to spoil their plans.

This is the first film that features the iconic Jason Voorhees as the killer, and it also happens to be the best. I don't care what anyone says--Jason was never scarier than in this film. I'm not getting down on the classic hockey mask, but the sack Jason wears in this movie is much more frightening.

And as usual for a film in this series, there are some great kills and some very effective set pieces that ratchet up the tension. This is one scary little film! One scene in particular, involving two counselors that sneak off upstairs to make love, always has me squirming in my seat no matter how many times I watch it.

The "final girl", Jenny (played by Amy Steel) is likable and one of the series' best. You really root for her to get away from Jason in the finale, and instead of running around screaming like a bimbo, she gives him a run for his money.

No "Friday the 13th" would be complete without the end chase scene, and this one delivers--Jason chases the poor girl all over the place.

This is way better than the original, in my opinion. Rent it for a party and put it on...you'll have fun, I guarantee it.

I rented this one based on the good reviews, and I didn't care for it much, though I did find myself strangely attracted to Danny Dyer and was left wanting to see more of him.

The idea of placing company employees in a lodge deep in the woods with killers waiting to off them seemed like a good idea, but nothing about it was scary. The killers weren't disturbing in the slightest, with their survival gear and lame masks.

And maybe I'm just a prude, but the "comedy" wasn't funny. This isn't "Shaun of the Dead", I'll tell you that much. I certainly didn't find myself laughing at any point in the movie, which I guess was supposed to be the intention.

The movie also takes a long time to get going...so long, that I keep looking at the time counter on my DVD player wondering when the action was going to start. It has almost as long of a setup as 2005's "House of Wax." There are some gory moments, but the violence is more akin to a war movie than a horror, and the killers certainly bring that element with them.

I don't know what else to say really, except that it failed at being scary, and it wasn't funny. Most of it was actually pretty boring.

As far as remakes go, modern ones could take a note or two on this one.

Take an 80s slasher movie, replace the human killer with a big blob of goo from outer space, and you get "The Blob." This movie gets it right on nearly every level: great characters, good F/X, and creative death scenes. There's not much more you could want from a science fiction horror movie.

I loved Shawnee Smith as the main heroine, Meg. She wasn't just some screaming, whimpering "final girl" content with being the victim. She was more like Ellen Ripley in that she took her life into her own hands, picked up a gun, and decided to kick some extraterrestrial ass.

Some of the death scenes in this movie are truly memorable and original. One poor victim gets pulled down a drain, face first.

There are also many great action sequences that will have you cheering and on the edge of your seat.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone tired of the crap remakes being shoveled out these days. This is proof that not all remakes are trash, and it's a highly enjoyable little film that hits on all cylinders.

I think anyone expecting this to be a true remake of John Carpenter's 1978 original should be warned that this is a Rob Zombie film, and if you've seen either of his previous efforts then you should know what to expect.

Zombie is a shock rocker, and he's carried that with him as far as his film-making efforts go. So why exactly he was chosen to helm the remake of a film that relied on subtle imagery and suspense is beyond me. And predictably, this film has none of the qualities that made the original such a classic.

The problem isn't that Zombie had a different vision of the material, but that his vision is just plain bad.

To begin, this movie is littered with so many cringe-worthy lines, I almost felt embarrassed for it. Malcolm McDowell seemed to have been handed the worst of them--some of his dialog in this film is just truly awful.

The kitchen scene in the film's opening is laughably bad in its attempt to portray the Myers' home as this disgusting trailer park environment. Because of course, Michael's violent tendencies have to be explained by way of his poor upbringing.

The main "meat" of the film, the stalking of Laurie Strode and her high school friends, doesn't come around until nearly an hour into the movie. Then we are treated to a rushed cut and paste "remake" of the original that moves along with barely any time for the viewer to invest any emotional connection with the characters at all.

I didn't give a damn whether Laurie or her friends lived or died, I was so detached from them.

Scout Taylor-Compton seems to be a capable actress, but pales in comparison to Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode. She does her job, but doesn't bring anything to the role. The rest of the characters are typical Zombie creations: loud, obnoxious, foul-mouthed and incredibly annoying. Zombie seems to have the monopoly on creating gratingly annoying characters, especially female characters.

As for Malcolm McDowell, I am at a loss to understand how an actor that worked with Stanley Kubrick could put it in such an awful performance. His line delivery in this is terrible, as was his whole over-the-top performance. At times I got the idea that Zombie was intentionally going for this approach, but I remain undecided.

The suspense of the original is replaced by moments of brutal violence and gore, which means this is body count movie in the strictest sense during the last half.

I was also disappointed that, for a movie being set on Halloween night, this film had very little Halloween atmosphere to it at all. Oh, we do see Jack O' Lanterns and some paper decorations, but the true spirit of Halloween night is missing in this.

I did enjoy seeing Danielle Harris make a return to the big screen as Annie, however. Too bad her character was paper-thin and she wasn't given much to do.

In the end, there's nothing to really recommend seeing this movie. I guess as an exercise in sheer violence, it does okay, but as a scary, suspenseful movie, it fails miserably. You just can't mix the style of "The Devil's Rejects" with "Halloween" and expect a positive outcome.