A series of classic horror stories with a perfect blend of slasher and all that takes place in Crystal Lake, Friday The 13th series made its mark as one of the most consistent movies that were fully devoted to their respective genre. Sean. S Cunningham had a vision for developing terrifying storylines all while inducing fear in the hearts of watchers. Featuring the ultimate killer who could make everyone in the room shiver with his name powered by his notorious reputation, Jason Voorhees still lingers in the back of our minds if we ever stumble in a dark alleyway.
12. Friday The 13th Part 3
To be fair Part 3 may deserve a higher ranking but what’s holding it back is the disappointing and bizarre situations that successfully failed those who awaited the third movie of this franchise. Unlike the first two parts, this third installment had some very obvious flaws like a lack of originality and an eerie darkness which may have worked in its favor if the imagery was a little better. I’m still having a hard time dealing with Vera’s death. It is unbelievable how slasher movies run on these nasty ideas but if discomfort crawls and makes its space somewhere, that is a big no!
11. Jason Takes Manhattan
The lowest-ranked movie here might be based on subjective views but Jason Takes Manhattan is hated wholeheartedly by the entire fandom. One can easily feel the need to question the filmmaker’s choice of film settings. Why even bother taking a murderer in a big city like New York when he has a whole spooky little town to himself that continuously haunts the spectators? You find yourself losing interest in the movie as the key elements are missing and are replaced by the pale portrayal of New York City that we can blame on the film’s low budget.
10. Friday The 13th: A New Beginning
As the name suggests, this new part of the horror franchise simply took a whole new turn that shocked the audience. A New Beginning is the only movie in this saga that doesn’t have Jason in it but that is not the reason it’s rated poorly. His absence is only replaced by a plot that does justice to the fierce murder theme of Friday The 13th and an imposter disguised as Jason.
9. Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday
The same bloody tradition carried on in this new film but it chose to keep the least interesting elements in it. The worst part is once again the low budget of the film and a script that was partly risky but mostly predictable. What’s likable though is the 80s horror elements like nausea-inducing creatures and slimy monsters who contribute to the overall theme and aesthetic of the series.
8. Friday The 13th Part 7: The New Blood
Friday The 13th series typically went through a decent box office collection, however, The New Blood took off with an amazing success. The film is gripping as we are introduced to a young blonde who happens to be gifted with the supernatural ability of telekinesis. That gave an interesting turn to the plot but at the same time, other plot holes were quite perplexing. For instance, Jason being resurrected by this new character could’ve been portrayed in a better way. That resulted in its poor critic’s score but hey, it still soared on the box office.
7. Jason X
Who thought we would be getting to see our one true killer set out in space? We know it sounds pretty intriguing and raises our expectations with the concept’s uniqueness, but it isn’t even close to that. The constant experimental efforts that are put into this franchise mostly didn’t work in its favor. What started as an attempt to create a bloody sci-fi only granted us a stupid attempt at a horror space movie.
6. Friday The 13th, Part 2
The second part of the series is where the filmmakers put the roots of the entire series by introducing the deadly psycho killer, Jason. Right after its release, it was obvious that Jason was about to stick around now that he had left the indelible impression left by our beloved villain. The movie overall is very well directed and the characters apart from Jason, killed it with their performances. The movie won’t disappoint you as a sequel to an original classic.
5. Friday The 13th (2009)
In 2009, a reboot of Friday The 13th was made that was worked upon by Marcus Nispel. Despite many disappointing sequels, this new take on the same gloomy settings and the dreadful killer Jason was a success. The movie not only made its mark on the box office but was surprisingly an enjoyable watch. The youthful spirit that was brought in the film by some silly teenagers who become memorable victims of Jason, was something that carried the movie. That was one reason the movie received positive reviews as compared to other movies of the same franchise.
4. Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
The Final Chapter innovatively deviated from the original theme of the movie which was about teenagers who are never immune to danger. Instead, it featured another family, a mother, and her young kids. Another striking twist in this movie is the introduction of Tommy Jarvis, who apart from Jason serves as a bold and important character. This movie brought such satisfaction as it features its classic creepy setting, The Jarvis House, once again diverging from the same old recipe of the former movies.
3. Freddy VS. Jason
Another reboot that has some of the best ratings from the audience. Freddy VS. Jason is known to be one of those movies when the director knows what his audience wants. What better way to give off an awesome battle between two formidable and intimidating villains? The audience goes through a roller coaster when it witnesses both of them go from helping each other out to enemies who are coming for each other’s throats. The plot kept fans hooked and it ended up receiving some really good ratings as well.
2. Jason Lives
If anyone knows how to revive a dead series, it’s Tom McLoughlin. The guy gave it all to this new installment and saved the franchise that was busy delivering one trashy teen murder story after another. The chilling tale follows Jason and Tommy. Tommy tries to escape his past where he murdered Jason and is now living his nightmare as Jason has somehow cheated death. The movie reminds us of the true spirit of this franchise and is, therefore, one of the best-made Friday The 13th movies.
1. Friday The 13th (1980)
The original 80s horror undoubtedly revolutionized its genre and set the bar high for filmmakers to create something that is both timeless and unforgettable. Along with exquisite locations and characters, the film also paved the way for more slasher and horror movies like Scream that feature mystery murderers.
Overall
This spooky season, all you need is a good slasher that will set you up for Halloween. If you enjoy this genre then Friday The 13th has the best and most relevant content for you. Hop on the ride and experience the quintessential tales of grim homicides.
Happy watching!
