Top 5 Friday the 13th Films In The Franchise
Since the Primetime marathon for Friday the 13th ended last week on AMC, everyone must have a fresh opinion of the series in their minds. Each individual fan has their favorite films of the franchise and hold their reasons for their favorite close to the vest. However, this writer has no problem mentioning his favorite movies and why. Below is my ranking of the films in the series and a brief reason why I have it ranked where I do.
Let us know how you would rank the movies in the series and why you feel the way you do!
Top 5 Of The Friday the 13th Franchise
1. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
The definitive Friday movie, period. This film took everything that made the original 1980 film tense and suspensful as well as how Part 3 introduced Jason as a pure iconic slasher and improved upon those elements 100%. Character development in a Friday the 13th film is oft overlooked, but The Final Chapter by far had the most interesting and sympathetic people in all of the series. Tom Savini even improved upon his effects and creativity in the death scenes for the fourth film.
The ending of this film is indeed the most chaotic, suspenseful and unconfusing out of the original five films in the series. Let’s face it, dream sequences were all of the rage in the beginning of the franchise and to have a straightforward conclusion to a story was an endearing proposition.
2. Jason Goes To Hell
I am sure the pure fact this movie is number two on my list will indeed leave many dumbfounded. No, I am not some poor lost soul who knows nothing about the franchise, I just like a little creativity in my horror films. The opening of this film features the definitive and signature stalk and chase scene in the film series. It incorporates everything we have seen throughout the Friday movies, almost in the form of parody, but executed to awesome perfection.
The rest of the film is an orgy of mixing different subgenres within the horror realm to expand the mythology of the Voorhees family and the curse on Crystal Lake. K.N.B. effects delivers the gory goodness with the best practical special effects to date. Tom Savini would be proud. If more people could overlook the fact that the physical presence of Jason is absent from most of the film, this Friday the 13th entry would fare better in the minds of the fans as the most original part of the series since the original 1980 film.
3. Friday the 13th (1980)
The complete opposite end of the spectrum from JGTH, this 30 year old independent gem is indeed the film that started it all. The Whodunit aspect of the movie is one of major selling points within the story as well as the great characters and dialogue. The lurking presence of the unseen killer increases the sense of fear and paranoia that is felt by the film viewer and the creative death sequences orchestrated by Tom Savini are the cliched icing on top of the cake.
Time has dated some aspects of the film, but there is no denying that this film ushered in a new era of horror film in the 1980′s and still, in my mind, is the gold standard of the slasher genre from that era.
4. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
“This guy must be high up on something”. I can imagine that to be the response by some visitors to the website by this point in my list. Why would I have Jason Goes To Hell and A New Beginning ranked higher than Part 2 and Part 3? Well, simply put, I like good characters with my death scenes. The fifth installment goes back to the whodunit aspect of story telling that made the original 1980 such a success. Since the MPAA helped destroy many of the awesome kills in the film, something is needed to make the film stand on it’s feet. What we have in Part 5 is the greatest assembly of 1980′s era stereotypes and new wave personas ever collected in a Friday the 13th film and possbily the slasher genre.
I personally could care less if Jason was not in this film as that’s not what was originally intended by the franchise creators anyways. I enjoy the fact that the producers decided to try a new angle on their film series by incorporating all of the elements of past films as well as a continuing storyline and charatcter from a previous film. It is my belief that if the kills were not heavily trimmed down and the ridiculous multiple dream sequence ending was eliminated, that this film would be looked at in a much better light.
5. Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood
Yes, I do have Part 5, Part 7 and Jason Goes To Hell in my Top 5! I did do that! Purely and simply, The New Blood would have been ranked higher in my list if the characters in the film were not so annoying and cookie cutter. If the characters were half as enjoyable to watch as the people in Part 5 or The Final Chapter, and the ending didn’t, you know, suck, this might be #3 or maybe even #2 on my list. That being said, I enjoyed the recycled Part 4 story of the party house next door to the family house. Jason picking off teens at a secluded party is always a big plus!
John Buechler’s Jason design is top notch and his special effects and kill sequences are stellar, even though the viewer did not get to see their unedited glory until recently. The added telekenisis angle to combat a now zombified Jason is welcome and having Dr. Crews as the true villain the film is a perfect balance to Jason’s destructive habits.
Part 2 (Best mystery)
Part 3 (1st appearance of the Jason we know)
Part 1 (Still a little Creepy)
Part 4 (Great ending)
Remake (Back to a Jason you would fear rather than laugh at)
There should be a Top 5 Final Girl blog entry
Part 2 (Best climax to any of the movies!)
Part 1 (Groundbreaking for it’s time, again, a wonderful climax with the appearance of Mrs. Voorhees!)
Part 4 (Very good all-round horrorfilm with Jason)
Freddy Vs Jason (Fun, fun, fun film! Best visuals of any movie in the franchise!)
Remake (Exellent remake, that has grown on me these last 2 years)
- Part 2
- The Final Chapter
- Part 1
- Part 3
- A New Beginning
-Part IV
-Reboot
-Part II
-Part III
-Part VI
My personal top 5:
1. Part 4
2. Part 6
3. Part 2
4. Part 5
5. Remake
Friday the 13th Pt 3 – The true introduction of Jason, love this movie from beginning to end and imo it sets the tone for the rest of the movies. Love how it starts off with the review, then Jason trashes the market and sets out on his killing spree. So imaginative, frightening and as others said the battle between Chris & Jason in the end is the ultimate chase scene in the franchise.
Friday the 13th Pt 4 – Close second imo, maybe cause i haven’t gotten to see it on Blu Ray yet lol. This movie is Jason at his most imposing with Pt 3 right behind. He’s angry, beyond evil and taking everything personally. The introduction of a child into the series was a brilliant stroke, and the murders are top of the line be it the shower head smash, the wine cork bash, or the ingenius termination of our pal Jason. In reality, it’s a true toss up between Parts 3 & 4 and everything else is distant.
Friday the 13th Part 2 – For obvious reasons, this film certainly enters my top 5. One of the better intros of the series where Alice is terrorized before meeting her demise. Then we have the true beginning of Jason’s entry into the series and the beginning of some truly original kills. The hanging murder, the double impalement and then the gruesome wheelchair toss down the steps show that Jason didn’t want to just kill … he wanted to prove a point.
Friday the 13th Part 6 – This film was the first where Jason was brought back from the dead, clinically speaking at least lol (loved how they did it btw) and finally returns to a camp site so the recipe for a fun and frightening installment is clearly present. I really enjoyed the fact that some sharp humor was injected into the series and the last 20 minutes of the film are as good as any in the series. The scene where Jason comes upon the campsite and stares it down is truly classic.
Friday the 13th Part 5 – The first of the series that i saw as a kid, so this film holds a special place w/ me. The thing i enjoy in the flim is this is really the first of the series where your watching and you realize “something is different”. It’s not just a bunch of good looking kids looking to have a good time and you don’t see Jason’s mask for roughly an hour. Not to mention, Crystal Lake isn’t even brought up so there is no reason to automatically attach it to the other films as we had done with the previous four. It’s nothing you expect but still everything you know how to enjoy.
1980
Part II
Part 3D
The Final Chapter
Part VI Jason Lives
Part 6 Jason Lives
Part 4 Final Chapter
Part 3
Part 7 New Blood
Jason X
Awww jasonsfury is so different and edgy / BOGUS / BO – GUSS!
DanC seems to pretty on point there..
1.) Part 6 Jason Lives – this is one the best slasher films ever created nonetheless in the series. It serves as the prototype of Shakespearean proportions.
2.) Parts 2/3/&4 – its really one long movie if you think about it…
3.) Jason X, perfectly done, knew what it was with no apologies.
4.) Manhattan – I can’t even explain it to myself
5.) New Blood – purely for that stall sequence
Anyone who put the recent Sparknotes bastardization of the first 3 on the list is a person whom I don’t agree with.
Original
Part 4
Part 7
Jason X
F vs J
1. Part 7
He has the best look in my opinion and some of the most imaginative kills
2. Part 6
This was awesome and hysterical. The first Friday I ever saw and I loved it.
3. The Remake
Very cool design, some fun new kill methods, and irritating people that you hope get killed. Classic stuff.
4. Part 4
The pre-dead Jason is cool and he was getting stealthier in this film . Definitly had some great moments and the ending was awesome.
5. Part 3
The first movie involving the mask, so funny and dumb characters, and of course the hysterically awful 3D.
It’s too hard to make a list like this because I like the entire franchise.
Part 3 – the best!!!!
Part 2
part 4
first (1980)
part 7!
1- Part 4- The Final Chapter
2- Jason Goes To Hell, This movie is hated by so many, but it was the darkest and most violent sequel in the series…Some great kills, better acting..etc. Jason not being in the movie much never bothered me, the guys who were possessed came off very jason like to me, i liked the change in the plot… i mean afterall, they had 7 movies in the woods, I commend the director for going in a direction rather it failed or not..I loved it though, my second favorite in the series.
3- Part 6
4- the original
5- Part 2
Part VI: Jason Lives
Part V: A New Beginning
The Final Chapter
Jason X
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
Warms my heart to see JGTH in so many top ten lists!
1. The original with Mrs. Voorhees. Betsy Palmer at her best. Nobody knew it was Mrs. Voorhees. Some good characters, also.
2. Part #4. Some really cool kills and a great ending.
3. Part #2. Hillbilly Jason with the sack head, was very cool.
4. Part #6. I thought this film revived the series. Very well directed, acted and produced.
5. Part #3. The 3D was corny, but the storyline and the introduction to the hockey mask was good.
Honorable mention: The reboot. With a better storyline, this could’ve been one of the best, next to the original. Still, I liked it and i’m one of the older members of this room, growing up on the 80′s movies.
1. Part 2
2. new blood
3. part 3
4. Final chapter
5. Friday 2024