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FRIDAY THE 13TH

Starring: Jared Padalecki, Derek Mears, Amanda Righetti, Danielle Panabaker and Aaron Yoo

Directed by: Marcus Nispel

Rated R for strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, language and drug material

By John Delia

I must admit, I’m a sucker for slasher films and Producer Michael Bay’s remake of Friday the 13th hits the top of my list. While you may find a lot of similar things from the original, no one can create violence like Michael Bay. With today’s CGI and special effects and make-up the realism comes pouring off the screen. If you are into getting frightened by a tall guy in a ski mask who roams a scary wood and creates a lot of blood, then this film should provide you with those kinds of thrills.
Searching for his missing sister, Clay Miller (Padalecki) heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins behind moss-covered trees. And that's not the only thing lying in wait under the brush. Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has in the search for his missing sister, Whitney (Righetti), with the help of Jenna (Panabaker), a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are all about to find much more than they bargained for. Little do they know, they've entered the domain of one of the most terrifying specters in American film history -- the infamous killer who haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete... Jason Voorhees (Mears).
The star of this film is the direction and cinematographer that give you bird’s eye and close up views of all the action. Relentless with shots that make you jump, even when you are anticipating the action, Nispel (Texas Chain Saw Massacre) shows it all. His scenes are very bloody, very scary and mostly gory, but that is what the movie is all about. The plotline probably sucks as the only suspense comes from waiting to see the next kill, but again, isn’t the mayhem the real story?
Now I am not an advocate of slasher movies, and I can only take maybe one or two per year out of the hundreds of all genre movies that I see. But when one like this comes along, my fright meter wants to be jiggled till the dial goes off the end. That’s what Friday the 13th did for me. I gladly am thankful that I do not live in a mountain home or in a secluded forest, as I would be looking over my shoulder for a long time.
The film is rated R and contains some very explicit nudity and sex, adult language and the killings are very brutal and graphic so if your mom says to take your little brother or sister along, make sure they are settled in with a responsible adult watching Coraline or any other G or PG film. If you take your girlfriend to this one make sure you have a leather jacket on or you will probably have to explain the claw marks on your arms.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Friday the 13th is high on the fear and gore meter, and probably a treat for slasher film lovers. (3.5 of 5 Palm Trees)