Movie Review: Friday the 13th The Final Chapter

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my Movie Review.

Back in October of last year, I covered the 3rd part of Friday the 13th, while I like the kills, a disco theme song, and even Jason’s look that we all know and love, but everything else is just felt flat of boringness. However, as I said in my review in Part 3, it was originally intended as the last one as a trilogy, but because Friday the 13th franchise is a money making success at the box-offices, its no stranger that Paramount made yet another as the “Final Chapter”. Well, so what they think at the time.

“Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter” is a 1984 slasher film that was directed by Joseph Zito, produced by Frank Mancuso Jr., and written by Barney Cohen (for screenplay) and Bruce Hidemi Sakow (for story).

As I said before, with the success of Part 3, they wanted to make another one. However, despite the three previous installments came out, they didn’t received well from critics and non-horror audiences, this maybe resulting some slasher genre was fading for a bit, even though Paramount wanted more, Frank Mancuso Jr. is hesitant for more because nobody seems to liking nor caring about Friday the 13th, and so, Mancuso Jr. declared the fourth one will be the last one (so what we think) before he wanted to working on the other projects. Upon start working on Part 4, Joseph Zito was hired by Mancuso Jr. as a new director when Part 2 and 3 director, Steve Miner, declined, this was thanks to Zito’s own slasher film called “The Prowler”, which they would hoped that Zito will making it to possibly being bigger and better. Despite what they hoped for, working with Zito was an unfortunate struggle due to his attitude of demanding and perfectionism, not to mention if its not going on the way, that would cause a physical fight for all the wrong reasons. But of course, similar to the first Friday the 13th with Kevin Bacon, Part 4 would be a breaking point of then upcoming famous actors like Corey Feldman in his child acting days in the 80s and Crispin Glover for his unique and eccentric actor.

When Friday the 13th Part 4 came out on April 13th 1984, its a same result as previous films, it didn’t received well by the critics and some audience, but it made a lot of money at the box-office with $33M over $2.2M at the budget. But as time went on, many fans considered Part 4 as possibly the best installments at the series, whether its the kills, Jason’s performance or even some memorable characters from the aforementioned build up actors after this.

So, with all that said, will the Part 4 is gonna be like my favorite what the fans enjoyed, or is this film should’ve been the ending based on a cheap slapping title like “The Final Chapter”?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

While its pretty much the same thing as we saw the previous films, but surprisingly, its actually pretty nice for the writing.

Picking up after Part 3 (which means in third installment, its Saturday the 14th and now its Sunday the 15th), aside of obvious reminder with stock footage of three previous movies, the ambulances arrive for clearing dead bodies in a camp site what we saw before, including a reminder of Jason Voorhees got axed in a head. While brought in a morgue, Axel is signed to put the body frozen, but Axel is busy for being horny perv over dead “Cute girl” (“She still is!”) and wanting to having affair with a nurse name Morgan in front of TV plays an aerobic movie, despite he got overly infuriated by being touched by laid out Jason (“JESUS CHRISTMAS!! HOLY JESUS GODDAMN! HOLY JESUS JUMPING CHRISTMAS SHIT!!”. Amen, Axel). After being rejected by Morgan from hilarious fake jumpscare, Axel gets himself back to watching aerobic dance, only he got SAWED and head twisted off by revived Jason out of icebox, then Jason goes after Morgan to pinning her from the wall and stabbed her with scalpel. The next day, we introduce the Jarvis family, older daughter Trish, Mrs. Jarvis, and young son Tommy Jarvis (who introduced himself by wearing alien mask while playing PC game? Who does that?), they have home next to a camps (Yeah, Crystal Lake is confusing for its location, these days), what they didn’t know is that another horny teen campers are going out for, you guessed it, camping and sexing (Can you imagine if they’re having affair in a campsite when you’re in a house next to a camp? That will be awkward experience). But what both Jarvis Family and teen campers didn’t know is that, once again, Jason is out there for his killing business, while the campers prefer doing their own business, its up to Jarvis Family (along with a lone camper name Rob) to watch out over revived killer in hockey mask.

Like I said, its a same old plot like we’ve heard from three previous films, but at least the movie goes to a sorta connection between Jarvis Family and even the campers, since again, weirdly have a house next to a campsite on Crystal Lake, but again, we’ve seen before like meet the campers, have a sharing true story about Jason Voorhees hidden in Crystal Lake to of course, campers sexing. Especially for the latter, campers are quite possibly the horniest in the movie, ranging from various relationships, some sex jokes and one time, watching a stag film (aka the early 20th century porn films). I think what makes the movie possibly better its the writing, I think the writing is actually good and probably funny, ranging from a fun chemistry between Jimmy and Ted for their opposite personalities, a build up of Tommy Jarvis (since Zito wanted to have a young kid in a horror movie) and even a connection from previous installment, like when Rob mentioned one of the victim from Part 2, Sandra, was murdered, which it was revealed that Rob is a missing older brother of Sandra, which I assuming its have a build up when Rob is trying to hunting down Jason for revenge, but sadly, despite what they’re trying for the connection, it sadly felt like an afterthought. Of course, I like to mention it has some dialogues that are either good to even funny, especially with the aforementioned opposite personalities between Jimmy and Ted, despite there’s some dialogue from Ted that I questioned his desperation to get along.

While its not perfect, but its the writing that I enjoy for some character developments in this movie.

The Presentation

The movie’s budget is surprisingly the same as the previous film, mainly that Part 3 and Part 4 are costed $2.2M. But unlike the previous one the presentation is surprisingly gotten better for various reasons.

But much like Part 3, it was filmed in California, whereas Part 3 was filmed Saugus and Green Valley, here, it was filmed on Topanga Canyon and Newhall. But the way they filmed are surprisingly pretty nice like a steady camera that moves smoothly thanks to the use of crane in the beginning, a different angle in the morgue when Jason was “dead” to what better way to do the slowmotions, but some slowmotions are smooth but others are a slightly dropping frames per-seconds. Despite some flaws, the filming is pretty good, at least they don’t wanna do another 3D gimmick ever again.

The filming set is no stranger to be away from the studio for not-so low budget, aside the forest and a morgue (which is a nice inclusion, but only in the first act), but the weirdest part of the movie is the buildings there were set in, there’s the Jarvis Family’s house is a pretty cool house and it surprisingly still with us to this day and the house has been recycled from several movies, while camping building were build from scratch by the Friday’s crew, which is a pretty nice building.

Of course, the movie’s highlight are the design, a makeup effect and of course, the kills. After two previous films, Tom Savini came back to pulling a nice practical and makeup effects with some creatives and memorable kills, ranging from sawing and neck twisting death in the morgue, a backstabbing through the throat at hitchhiking banana girl (where Jason was briefly played by Tom Savini himself, but without him wearing a hockey mask), Jimmy got corkscrewed on his hand to head stabbed from meat clever, Tina thrown out on the top of station wagon (with windows crashing, unexpected, but memorable one), to even Jason himself with brutal death of stabbed on the side of the head with machete. Those kills that I mentioned are either the most notable and probably my favorites, even though you can briefly see what’s going on, because once again, the MPAA was very sensitive to forcing them to toning down the presentation of the kills and sexing.

Despite the flaws, there also some kills are the weakest, like when Samantha is relaxing in a cold night raft before gets impaled from bellow, while the kill itself wasn’t that bad, its the way how they filmed, Judie Aronson was forced to swimming in a cold water in birthday suit (which it was filmed on December in California), she’s unfortunately having hypothermia, which cause Ted White (who played Jason, more on that later) was pissed at Joe Zito for being neglectful at Judie, especially on his verge of quitting, which I can’t blame White that he always wanting to be protective towards actors to have a respectful treatment, for the most part. Another weakest kill is Mrs. Jarvis, which when she looks around, she makes a gasp before cuts out, we never see her what’s happening, though it was originally planned to having her getting decapitated similar to what happened to Mrs. Voorhees, but with this and a planned nightmare scene, was cut, cause honestly, we don’t want another fake out kills like what we saw in three previous films.

Though sometimes, some kills can be funny, aside of Samantha’s kill from her weirdly and hilarious scream of death, but the one that stuck to me, is when Rob gets hacked to death by Jason with cultivator while yelling “He’s killing me! He’s killing me!! HE’S KILLING MEEEEE!!!”. I get it was meant to be disturbing, but his last bit is laughable before he dies, which it gives me a chuckle from its repetition.

While some part might have some flaws, but Part 4’s presentation is pretty good with some creative and gnarly kills and a welcome return to Tom Savini.

The Characters

While most characters have those typical tropes in many horror films, here however, we got ourselves from some memorable characters in the franchise.

Lets start off with once again, Jason Voorhees, this time played by the great late Ted White. He’s quite surprising for the way he moves in his action, unlike the previous role of Jason who’s just wandering and finding the victim, Ted’s Jason is more of the brain for his smart decision and moving faster (Heh, who says Slasher Villains can’t run, eh?), making him quite believable and nearly impossible to getting away from his brutal and fast paste, which is actually pretty nice for his minor changing and Ted White did a pretty good job to be a bit creative in his role of Jason. In fact, he was in his age of 50s, since he did plenty of stunt double of various roles from the past, pretty fascinating of his experience, and its a damn shame that he passed away in 2022 in his age of 96, that’s pretty close to be 100 year old. Rest in Peace, Ted, you were amazing as Jason.

Now lets get to the survivors, like I said, unlike most of them are generic, they have some are memorable.

Lets start off with the main boy in the movie, Tommy Jarvis (played by then 12 year old Corey Feldman), he’s the main kid who’s somehow smarter of creating arts like creating a monster themed mask and a puppet. I was first reacted “Im calling it Bullshit, there’s NO WAY you created those masks and puppet when you’re just a kid!”, although his was given after Tom Savini (who also did those masks and puppets), so its a nice reference. I find Corey’s Tommy Jarvis is fascinating character that, even though he’s a kid, he’s somehow changing his life when first saw teens, which is pretty much he has a puberty of seeing teens in naked, im not sure how puberty works, but that’s just me. But as we all know, when Jason is upon us, he’ll probably trying to find the way to fight back, which Tommy Jarvis would later getting more attention for being a survivor against Jason, but we’ll get there in future, but then again, he’s just getting started as a kid. Plus, Corey did a great work of his role and of course, this will lead his beginning point of his young career from Gremlins, The Goonies, Stand by me and my underrated favorite, The ‘Burbs. However, in behind the scenes, despite he has a respect with some casts (including Kimberly Beck, more on her later), but one person that they didn’t get along was Ted White. Corey said he doesn’t trust him for culture reasons, while Ted hated him as a mean little devilish kid in guts, especially there’s one scene when Jason breaks through the window to literally scaring the bejesus out of poor kid, and I mean literally, he was terrified when this happened after filming this, which im pretty Ted was taking too personal on him, even if when looked back he probably admit his action and forgives his performance, which I agree, again Corey had fun of his performance, even if yes, im aware Feldman had a very sad and troublesome history outside of acting form childhood to grown up.

Speaking of Jarvis, we have the main final girl, Trish (played by Kimberly Beck), she’s the older daughter of the family that she likes to going out with her mother Mrs. Jarvis. Even though she also loves her young brother for family, even if she can be too protective when the campers are arrived to go horny, especially when Tom got distracted from their skinny dips that she doesn’t want him go way too distracted. Well, its not just in movie but in behind the scene as well, in fact, Kimberly Beck, who had an experience with child actors, liked to taking care them like a sister figure, which is exactly how she likes to taking car with then 12 year old Corey, which actually pretty sweet for Kim, especially that I think she also did a pretty good role.

After that, we have Jimmy Mortimer (played by Crispin Glover), he’s one of horny campers, but unlike most of the groups, he’s an awkward and stressed out member of the group that he just wants to get along so badly in his life, which you probably tell he’s uneasy until he eventually give a chance to shine when hanging out with one of the Moore Sisters. But of course, who could ever forget one scene, in particular, when he dances with one of the Moore Sisters while playing the music “Love is a Lie” by Lion, his dancing is all over the place, the way he pulled the dance is crazy, but also both chuckling and probably the most GIF-able moment ever. And I bet some people either in behind the scene or even outside of the movie (which he pulled the same dance when he was in clubs in LA) are trying not to laugh when Crispin danced like this. I guess its not hard to see his performance is quite unique (literally as Joe Zito called him, which I agree), and like Feldman, I guess its not hard to see how he’ll later making a breakthrough eccentric career with Back to the Future and couple others.

And lastly, we have Rob Dier (played by sadly, the late E. Erich Anderson), unlike the young campers to going wild, Rob is an older camp that, at first, he’s just there for camping on his own and welcomed to the Jarvis Family, despite he has his depth he’s looking for revenge for the aforementioned Sandra from Part 2, again, sounds good on paper for having a chronological order, sadly, this subplot is pretty much left to nothing. And not to mention, he barely showing up until the third act that we expected he can fight back, but alas, he didn’t give a chance to shine. And I really mean, which for those who’re unaware when I was researching, Erich Anderson, despite had a nice role in Part 4, sadly passed away on June 1st 2024 (Yes, this year as im writing this) due his diagnose of Esophageal cancer in his age of 67. Rest in peace, Erich…

As for the rest, they are there, either I enjoy some, or some who’re just there for both typical depiction and for obvious sake of body counts.

There’s Doug Bell (played by Peter Barton), who’s… Just there, without giving us something special of his personality (talk about wasting appearance when Pete was famous in the show called “The Powers of Matthew Star”), Paul Guthrie (played by Alan Hayes) who’s a distracted man, even if supposed to be in relationship with Samantha Lane (played by the aforementioned Judie Aronson), there’s the Moore sisters, Tina and Terri (played by identical sisters Camilla and Carey More) who’re there for obvious set up of bring campers to go horny (because this is slasher film, horny teens like to do whatever they want, otherwise, better planning myself to watching and reviewing Scream for going full meta), Ted Cooper (played by Lawrence Monoson) who’s a silly best bud to Jimmy, which its actually nice for chemistry between of two, despite he ranges from poor pickup line of tasking a kiss with teddy bear or going high while watching oldest porn movie, even though in behind the scene he was actually high in his method acting, which I guess it might be explained why he had red eyes that he was drugged up, even Lawrence himself admitted it was a worst idea he ever been, sucks for him, but at least he did a fun role, despite his trouble moment. Anyway, there’s Mrs. Jarvis, who’s like the opposite version of Mrs. Voorhees, but unlike Pamela Voorhees, she disappeared in a lamest kill ever that we’ll never know, aside of scrapped ending scene, and there’s Axel Burns (played by Bruce Mahler), a perverted coroner who find dead girl to be cute (Eww…) and enjoying aerobic dance video, along with giving us his memorable overreact from Jason’s loose hand, which I can’t help but laughing and replaying his clip of “HOLY JESUS JUMPING CHRISTMAS SHIT!” (man, what an underrated delivery).

Even though most characters are typical, but at least some that I enjoy or even some are memorable, along with the aforementioned future success.

SPOILER ALERT for those who haven’t seen it or don’t care.

The final act is meant to be like a grand finale as we expected, but… We already know after Part 4. Anyway, while it a heck of a chase, but its more like a cat and mouse on Point A to Point B, and back to Point A.

After the campers are all gone (including mommy Jarvis), Trish, Tommy and Rob (along with golden retriever dog name Gordon, but running away, never seen ever again) noticed both houses and camp are empty, while Tommy is forced to stay in a house safe, Trish is feared to discovering Rob is murdered by Jason in front of her (“HE’S KILLING MEEEEE!!!!”), resulting Trish running away and being by Jason who’s like playing chicken at our final girl between two buildings. Once she’s in her house to protecting Tommy again, to running back to the camp (again, playing cat and mouse on two buildings). That is until Tommy, thanks to retrieving a cutout newspapers about Jason Voorhees from the late Rob, he proceeds to shaving his hair out. As Trish runs back to her house, she tries to fight back at Jason with machete (despite Jason wants his number 1 favorite toy back with due to his left hand split in half from his favorite toy). Once Jason had enough in attempt to strangling Trish, Tommy calling out at Jason, revealing himself bald (And by that, I mean wearing a bald cap, which Zito likes Tommy got shaved, but Corey don’t wanna do that, much a resentment in his mind) to replicating Jason, with distraction succeeded that Trish gets machete back, but ended smacked Jason’s mask off to revealing the most gnarliest Jason’s face ever. But his face reveal won’t be last long as Tommy finishes him by taking a hard hit on his head with machete, collapsing and slides his head down from machete to death (Man, quite brutal, bloody and satisfied, for awhile). But not for long (for a bit) that Jason is waking up slowly that Tommy has reaching his limit to hacking him over and over while repeating “DIE!!!” over and over, like any heroes do in every medias (Remember when Corey had a resentment in his mind, while he prefers to wearing a bald cap, he hated that idea of literal bald, when he yelled “DIE!!!” to wishing himself to beating Zito, while hacking Jason at the same time. Yeah, Joe Zito could be a walking nightmare to working with at the time).

In the end, Trish is recovered in a hospital, Tommy reunites with Trish for their thankfully survival and they live happily ever after. Or so we think when Tommy is seriously looking at the camera.

I should also like to briefly mention that there was an alternative ending planned that Tom Savini suggested his idea involves Tommy crafting a battery scanner and a microwave gadget to connecting at Jason’s head to explode, but that idea was shut down that if Part 4 is a success, it will be a setup that Jason won’t be killed off instantly. Sounds like perfectly dated to calling it “The Final Chapter” to pretty much bringing him back in a future.

The final act’s chase scenes can be dumb for running back and forth in two buildings, but it has a fun moments with the ways of attacking Jason and satisfied kill at Jason (but again, he will be back for a now).

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, while it maybe another forgettable one (at least what critics said), but to be honest, its not that bad that I think, its actually good.

While its a standard slasher film, but its the writing made a good execution that we actually like the characters like Tommy, Jimmy and maybe even Trish, the casts are good too, especially some will make a breakthrough in their future, Jason is one heck of smart and brutal thanks to top notch stunt from the late Ted White and the kills, while edit is unfair because of MPAA, are both impressive, bloody and creative.

But sure, it has problems with some characters didn’t have any special, I can be dragged on (but again, some have a good characters and its fun) and one subplot is worthless.

Like I said, I know some said its another lame Friday the 13th one, but I don’t think so, I probably enjoy it with some future breakthroughs that made yourself saying “Yeah, I remember some will make a promising careers”, the kills and maybe even well executed writing. So if you guys like to see Friday the 13th, I’d say check it out, you won’t be disappointed

For my rating, im gonna give this one a 7.5/10.

So this ends of my Movie Review Friday the 13th Edition, but next time, we’re gonna have a new chapter, without Jason what Paramount was thinking of. There is Friday the 13th on December, but I don’t think its a good idea to review a horror film like Friday the 13th on Christmas month, so im gonna pushing my plan for next year’s Friday the 13th. Sorry guys.

But as always, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.