a big fan of the series – i thought this reboot was pretty excellent. the theater i was in was packed and everyone cheered throughout the entire flick. the movie was also very funny and witty. i remember thinking after a couple of the kills, especially in the opening sequence, that i actually felt bad for some of the characters who got offed. that RARELY happens in F13 films (or many horror films at all.) in most cases, i am ready for the characters to get killed because they are so annoying.

i’ll see this again in the theaters for sure.

quit bitching about it until you get to see it for yourselves.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

Problems:

1) We never know for sure if there have been more murders or if there is a missing persons problem at Crystal Lake before the first group is offed. The old woman certainly says things that make it appear that way, but then why is she there? The cop also provides no insight. Then the weed-grower hick gets killed for what? He’s obviously been there a long time. Jason just decides to randomly venture into his territory and kill him after Clay stops by?

2) The music/sound effects. Lots of loud bangs take away from a genuine scare. And they’re LOUD. It’s a cop-out, and even when there were some surprises, the sound effects ruined it for me. Some of the music was okay, but a lot of it reminded me of the “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” electronic bullshit. Even if Harry Manfredini isn’t used, give the man some respect and use a couple of his cues! Platinum Dunes missed the mark entirely by omitting some classic themes. I know it’s a new film, but Jason was once defined by the music. Now, we have generic crashes and bangs in place of good, old-fashioned creepy music.

3) I won’t even spoil it but they couldn’t find a cooler way for Jason to get the mask?

4) The pacing is off just like all modern horror films. A lot of cuts are awkward and the momentum doesn’t build as it should. It builds, drops, builds, drops. It’s a roller coaster ride that works, but it doesn’t give you the rush and “run faster!” suspense I’ve come to expect in slasher films. The “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” remake really mastered the pacing for a modern horror film, and this one just doesn’t compare. I have to say, however, that this choppy pacing is part of the “Friday the 13th” mold. All of the films have characters who are oblivious to the murders until the final act.

Those are my major gripes. Now, for the good parts:

1) Derek Meers is a brutal and savage Jason, perhaps the best yet. He not only added some new ferocity to the character, but also brought enough of the original manorisms we’ve come to expect from our hockey-masked antihero.

2) The acting is quite good for a “Friday” film. I really liked Jared Padalecki’s character and really hated Travis Van Winkle’s–He played a real dick. All of the actors really upped their performances for this film and seemed genuinely horrified at the proper moments. Director Marcus Nispel has gained a reputation for generating just the right amount of terror from his actors without making them laughable.

3) The kills are…well…killer. There were a few that were a bit predictable, but overall, I was impressed with the creativity and use of weapons. He doesn’t just use the machete as some fans feared. A favorite is the axe-throw on the run. Very cool effect.

4) The ending. Not about to spoil it.

I’ll likely post a complete review once the film is released.

PS – wheres the ki-ki-ki-ma-ma-ma?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Thanks to my older sister, I had the joy of seeing these movies and not on DVD but at the cinema when they came out. Oh and for the record, part 8 and 9 were the worse. 5 is up there, but I respect what it did. But I think it should have been a movie by itself and not under the Friday banner.

So once I either get a bootleg copy of this movie or stateside (since I am deployed) I have to wait a little longer and try and ingore what alot of people are saying.

Who’s with me?