It's time, my friends, time for all of us - the hardworking people of the world - to spend $30 and return to the haunted woods of our youth. Don't worry, though, you won't be in this forest alone. Here, there is a camp, and at that camp, you are never alone . . . for long.
There will be companions here, some you might even like (and have sex with), walking alongside your every step with weed - lots of weed - growing in the forest for you to discover and smoke.
And, if you listen hard enough, you might just catch - drifting in the wind - the high pitched squeal of innocence as it gets maimed by a killer wearing a hockey mask who absolutely hates it when teens have sex at his camp. Yes, my friends, Camp Crystal Lake is once again open and Jason Voorhees is back in the business of killing horny teenagers.
And that isn't necessarily a bad thing either...
Back in 1980, the original Friday the 13th appeared to the public as an independent feature inspired by John Carpenter's Halloween and it relayed the story of how a camp cook went psychotic and killed a small group of sexually curious and sexually active camp counselors whom she blamed for her son's drowning - an unfortunate event that was said to have happened way back in 1958 or so the legend went. I mention that story because those closing events from the 1980 movie kick-start the greased engine of 2009's reboot.
Marcus Nispel, director of 2003's laughable Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, and screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, who wrote Freddy vs. Jason, pool their horror talents together and dust off yet another attempt at refreshing the slasher genre. This time their efforts pay off . . . in a way. The film starts off on solid footing with an intense twenty minute sexed-up and gore-fueled frenzy as Jason attacks a small group of teenagers who have come to Camp Crystal Lake in search of weed that is rumored to be growing in the forest. Sound goofy? It should - because it is goofy and clumsy, but - in the context of the slasher genre - it certainly seems downright plausible. Weed? Growing at Camp Crystal Lake? Sure, I'll bite... I mean smoke... er... whatever.
The point is that this opening is GREAT and it is, barring a later (and long) hysterically sex scene, the absolute best part of the remake.
The teenagers in this film are as unlikable and as forgettable as the teens in any of the other films (except for the fresh-faced Kevin Bacon from the original); the only difference with the 2009 version of Friday the 13th is that the girls are hotter and the boys are beefier. This is probably due to the fact that the filmmakers are playing around with Michael Bay's money and, well, they know better than to NOT reflect his ultra-sleek cinematic vision of manly men and model women.
The film is strong in its portrayal of Jason; he is a killing machine and every bit as brutal as 2009's blood-soaked world demands. Yet, as strong as he is and as exploitative in gore and sexuality as the film is, it is weak in one vital area of story. When there is no more gore to toss at the audience and no more sex to be had by the actors, then the storyline (especially in a slasher film) needs to be strong to solidify the audience's continued participation. That's just not here with this film.
I am sure that audiences will get a charge from Jason's violent return to cinema, but when there are only three remaining members from an unlikable and otherwise unknown cast, well, the movie's once kick-started engine simply runs out of fuel and reason. The gags run out, the thrills become cheap, the overbearing music cues spoil moments, the killing turns to an uber-long (and boring) chase sequence, and, finally, the "secret" plot point is revealed (I won't spoil it) but, ultimately, if the audience has checked out and started glancing at their watches or checking cell phones then who really cares? And that's what happens with this movie. After most of the cast has been Jason-gutted, complete and utter boredom settles in.
Don't get me wrong, the movie shocks and dazzles at the beginning; its environment is fun and charged but that atmosphere quickly slips into routine once Jason discovers the hockey mask. Ultimately, this reboot doesn't have the staying power of Rob Zombie's Halloween reimagining and that's its major problem. Like it or not, Zombie set the standard high for the horror genre and Friday the 13th always was a copycat film; its originality came in the storyline in the final moments of the 1980 film. Here, though, there is no shocking twist so when the exploitative nature of the sex and the gore runs dry, there simply is no juice to sustain its forward motion.
What is old is new again they say, but in the case of Nispel's Friday the 13th, the idea of new just doesn't seem as fresh as it once was…
. . . but Arrow Video’s handling of the film is absolutely on-point. It is detailed, filled with special features and the all-important Killer Cut version of the movie (which is the only one to watch), and it is also out of print!
But if you get your hands on a copy, KEEP THEM LOCKED AROUND IT!
Limited Edition / 4K Ultra HD
Home Video Distributor: Arrow Films
Available on Blu-ray - September 24, 2024
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A
In 2003, director Marcus Nispel made a lasting impression on horror fans with his box-office-topping remake The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Six years later, he turned his camera to another slasher icon, none other than the hulking masked killer Jason Voorhees, in his gore-soaked remake of Friday the 13th.
A group of oblivious teenagers choose Camp Crystal Lake as the destination for a weekend getaway. Among them, the young Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki, Supernatural) is not looking for fun and frolics, but for his sister Whitney who disappeared around the lake six weeks earlier. The trip turns into a waking nightmare as the bloodthirsty Jason emerges from the shadows, wielding a deadly machete and out for blood. Cut off from civilization, these youths discover too late that Crystal Lake bears the scars of a violent past as they uncover the terrifying events that spurred the masked killer's quest for violent vengeance.
Nispel's taut direction and the stunning cinematography by Daniel Pearl - whose credits include the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as the remake - bring a fresh and terrifying new perspective to the infamous hockey mask.
VIDEO
Arrow Video presents Friday the 13th (2009) with an impressive 2160p transfer in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio remastered in 4K resolution by Arrow Video and graded in 4K HDR10/Dolby Vision. This release easily kicks the earlier release’s ass and makes Warner Brothers offering nothing but garbage which should be tossed immediately. The new 4K resolution is an absolute must here as it captures every bit of detail in the woods; in the flesh; and in the gore! Plus, there’s two different versions of the movie, as well.
AUDIO
Wanna hear Jason come after you in stunning clarity? Check out this dynamic sound design. Presented here in a strong DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track, the sound design is an absolute gem on this release!
Supplements:
Commentary:
- See special features for details
Special Features:
This is a limited edition release. Fans get two cuts of the film, the Theatrical Cut (97 mins) and the extended Killer Cut (105 mins), a double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin, a limited edition Greetings from Crystal Lake Postcard, an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Matt Konopka and Alexandra West, and a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin. But the supplementals are amazing, too!
DISC ONE: THEATRICAL CUT
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of the Theatrical Cut
- Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio sound
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by director Marcus Nispel
- Brand new audio commentary by writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon
- Brand new interview with director Marcus Nispel
- Brand new interview with writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon
- Brand new interview with cinematographer Daniel Pearl
- A Killer New Beginning, an exclusive video essay about why horror fans shouldn't fear remakes, what 2009's Friday the 13th remake gets right, and why the film serves as a perfect template for future franchise remakes by film critic Matt Donato
- Excerpts from the Terror Trivia Track
- The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees archival featurette
- Hacking Back / Slashing Forward archival featurette
- The 7 Best Kills archival featurette
- Deleted scenes
- Original teaser, trailer and TV spots
- Electronic press kit
- Image gallery
DISC TWO: KILLER CUT
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of the Killer Cut
- Original 5.1 DTSHD Master Audio sound
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 97 mins
Director: Marcus Nispel
Writer: Victor Miller; Damian Shannon; Mark Swift
Cast: Jared Padalecki; Amanda Righetti; Derek Mears
Genre: Slasher | Horror
Tagline: Welcome to Crystal Lake.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Your tits are stupendous."
Theatrical Distributor: New Line Cinema
Official Site:
Release Date: February 13, 2009
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A group of young adults visit a boarded up campsite named Crystal Lake where they soon encounter the mysterious Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions.
