Yes my friends, its Friday the 13th, once again! Last year, we only had a single Friday the 13th, but this year, we have three of them, one on today’s February, on March and on November (the month of my Birthday), so this will be perfect opportunity to have three reviews in Friday the 13th movie franchise. Last year, I covered Part 5 that I find it mediocre that it doesn’t feel like Friday the 13th movie, but it has some crazy stuff and the sleaziest installment I’ve ever saw, probably one of the “So Bad its Good” movie, eh? Well, this brings us in today’s review that it feels more like a public apology after the negative reception over Part 5.
“Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives” is a 1986 slasher film that was written/directed by Tom McLoughlin and produced by Don Behrns.
As I’ve covered Part 5, while the movie was a financial success, it didn’t received very well both critics and audience for how lacking this movie is, mainly because again, this movie didn’t have Jason Voorhees (though in supernatural cameo). So, in order to save the franchise (and say sorry, along with producers wanted to bring the franchise back than “A New Beginning”), the executive producer of the franchise, Frank Mancuso Jr decided to scrap the new coarse, and hired Tom McLoughlin as both director and the writer following his release of One Dark Night in 1982. While writing for the project he came up the story for not only Jason brought back from the dead, but also the mix of inspiration from Universal Monster franchise like Frankenstein, action moments and even postmodern metahumor. Oh and also retcon Part 5’s ending (Duh!).
When Part 6: Jason Lives came out of the grave on August 1st 1986, it was well-received we hoped for, critics and audience loved this movie for return to the old route with Jason’s return and some humorous moments. But as for the box-office… Yeah, its not a good sign. Despite the movie received $19.5M over $3M budget, but it didn’t reached the high number as Part 5, due to combination of Part 5’s disappointment, becoming a franchise fatigue and the new slasher in town called “A Nightmare on Elm Street” in 1984. Despite the low point from box-office, it has its legacy, thanks a then new filmmaker named Kevin Williamson to using Part 6 as an inspiration for his own slasher franchise called “Scream”. The more you know.
In an interesting fact, this was the first Friday the 13th film I’ve ever saw, which for some reason when I bought this movie, it was weirdly rated 14 for older teens (according to the rating in my homeland Canada), when I saw it, I though its good in first half, but the rest was downhill. So, I felt like to rewatch this movie if my feeling has changed or remains the same.
So, with all that said, will Part 6: Jason Lives is a worthy return of Jason, or is this film should stay in grave or be drowned again?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
You would think the story is gonna be different compared to the previous installments? Well… Yes and no.
Picking up one year after Part 5 when he was released psychiatric hospital, our old friend Tommy Jarvis drives in a dark night with foggy forest (old school gothic movie style) with his partner Allen Hawes, mainly because despite being released from hospital for being cleared, Tommy still suffers a Vietnam Flashback over the bane from his childhood, Jason Voorhees. Upon arrival to the cemetery, Tommy’s plan is to dig out the grave of Jason to destroy the body, but after open a coffin with Jason’s body disgustingly covered by cobwebs, worms and maggots, Tommy is still traumatized that he proceeds to pull out a metal fence like a spear the stabbing the hell out of hockey masked slasher. Alas, as Tommy and Allen are about to open a gas tank, a lightning strikes on metal fence with Jason, twice…! (Frankenstein style) Causing Jason being revived from the grave as a revenant slasher. With Tommy failed to light his match, Allen tries to backstab Jason with a shovel, but Jason responds by impale through his chest with ripped heart out (Kano style…!), leaving Tommy running away in alert. After a badass opening title with James Bond reference, Tommy arrives in police station for emergency to Sheriff Mike Garris, but in typical movie fashion, cops don’t believe our main protag’s truth, so Garris, along with other coppers, arrest Tommy for disturbing the peace (and attempt to grab a shotgun), despite of brief sympathy from Garris about Tommy’s past, along with Crystal Lake has been renamed as “Forest Green”, not a good idea for new name when its a same location as Jason’s killing spot (But Jesus, now Tommy is gonna be stuck in cell without going out of action as a main protagonist??). However, someone should’ve warn about unfriendly masked killer when Darren and Lizbeth were interrupted by Jason in the middle of the road. So Darren tries to fight Jason with the use of gun, but gets impaled in the gut to death and Lizbeth attempts to survive herself from coming of car (without getting speared through windshield), but she didn’t last long with being impaled though her head in puddle of mud. Later in the mourning, we introduce Sheriff Mike’s daughter, Megan Garris, where she along with other teens, Sissy, Cort and Paula (the latter who happens to be Liz’s sister) where before they’re going on camping, they’re reporting about Darren and Liz were missing, but Tommy believes Jason killed them, even if nobody knows about his proof. So, after sharing urban legends, along with a school bus comes with out kids for camping, Megan and her pals and hanging around in the camp, despite being possibly warned about Jason (along with searching whatever happened to Darren and Lizbeth, while Tommy is gotta find and tell the proof about Jason’s alive once and for all.
Its much like the same plot as previous films, but surprisingly not just being cheesy serious or immature, they just want to have a mix of serious and some fun moments from dialogue along with metahumor. This is thanks to McLoughlin’s writing for to have some fun dialogue on the movie for not just some mature humors, but also self-awareness. At first, I had no idea about these jokes, but I did have a chuckle at many moments like Martin the cemetery caretaker made some self-aware by questioning people making “strange idea entertainment” or, my personal favorite, an editing gag of Martin asking for being a “Farthead”, then cuts to kids yelling “YES!”. That right here is the funniest part in the movie for unexpected timing from editing joke, I like that. Or another favorite part is where Deputy Rick Cologne threatens Tommy with his pistol with an over-sized laser that he weirdly and proudly says “Wherever the red dot goes… Ya Bang!”. Wow, obsessed much, Deputy? Or, if you’re a fan of YouTube like me (for the most part), there’s also some memorable dialogue from the kids where one of kids famously said “I think we’re Dead Meat.”. If you perfectly guessing the reference, congratulations, my friends. I guess you can say this movie may or may not be the most quotable film in Friday the 13th franchise, you’ll make your own conclusion. However, if there’s one nitpick for the writing of this movie is they’re bringing Jason Voorhees as urban legend again, which it didn’t make any sense, since Jason was already there and existed when he was “drowned” to death and literally seeks revenge on his mother’s death, but here, they bring up the urban legend thing again, without being warned that Jason has returned from his grave, especially how this movie takes place 6 years after Part 4 in possibly the most confusing timeline in the franchise, despite how the sets how the movies were made took place in the 80s. Of course, another problem I have is I wish they could’ve focus more on Tommy to be protective in Green Forest rather being tied on his hands by the cops to prove them to find any evidence about Jason’s resurrection, along with cops believing Tommy covers his ass as a killer. Again, pretty cliché about cops didn’t care about our main hero’s truth to clearing his name with warning, leaving Tommy’s return is rather lackluster.
Despite the movie is suffered with unnecessary urban legend story (despite they should’ve know about Jason’s return) and cliché false accusation element by cops, the story is good, but it actually works to having some nice inclusion from the setting and pretty good writing from the dialogue from character developments and even metahumors.
The Presentation
The movie’s budget grows bigger than before with the aforementioned $3M, and I will say, it looks pretty good how they’ve done.
For starter, it was filmed in Covington, Georgia, located close to the capital city, Atlanta. It took six weeks to film there from Camp Daniel Morgan as Camp Green Forest, aka Camp Crystal Lake, and the cemetery chase scene in Old Madison Cemetery, as long as some actors actors (and production crew) have to stay away from the graves. Speaking of cemetery, its worth noting that the movie’s had two cemeteries, one is the aforementioned real cemetery in Georgia, and opening night cemetery were done in scratch in empty field, done by Joseph T. Garrity. I will say, they way they filmed are pretty good, much bigger and better quality for $3M. Especially it wasn’t just a slasher film, but also going into action.
In case for the latter, the effects and the makeup they’ve done are pretty nice too. Though the downside is that the makeup, particular the kills, are unfortunately, unseen once again. They gave us some fascinating kills like triple decapitations in the paintball, a hard faceplant to the tree with weirdly a bloody smile, a shattered bottle stab through the throat, a double kill via impalement, head twisted to decapitation with bare hands, Paula’s beaten to bloody death in the cabin without seeing what just happened and couple other kills. Like I said in previous Friday the 13th movies, its a pain the ass for how desperate we like to see the kills, but unseen, all because MPAA was a pain in the ass for cut the violence down or be limited as a Rated X film. Although, there couple of kills that aren’t are bloody nor gory, such as one police officer getting head crush from Jason’s hands with cracking noise (without the eye-popping 3D gimmick, good riddance), a double kill in the RV before getting flipped and land on the side (which was the last part of their filming, as the producer, Don Behrns, wanted to get extra bonus for this shot), or, the most brutal in this movie (without the gore), is where Jason pins Sheriff Garris by harshly folding him down like a chair (the way how they pulled is dug out a hole for upper torso for actor and the legs out from stunt double).
If you’ve watching Dead Meat like I do, when it comes to the body count in this movie, it has 18 kills in the movie. Despite the lack of blood and gore (again, because of MPAA being too strict), my favorite will be the officer getting head crushed, the RV crash after double kills and Sheriff Garris folding of death. And speaking of lackluster, its also surprising to know that this is the first and only Friday the 13th film that didn’t have nudity, which im okay with it. Sure we see Nikki and Cort (the same victims in the aforementioned RV incident) having affair together, but again, without bare boobies nor bare asses showing. Quite surprising, but again, im fine with it.
One last thing that I like to give is the music. Sure, the score from Harry Manfredini are surprisingly gone bigger and better than previous films’ soundtrack that it feels like the same, but what im talking about is the use of Alice Cooper songs, which has not one, but three songs, such as “Teenage Frankenstein” in the RV, “Hard Rock Summer” for car chase (damn, we have a police running and a car chase? It surely is bigger and better, eh?) and of course, the signature song of the movie, “He’s Back (The Man behind The Mask)”, which is my favorite song from Alice Cooper, this song defines the celebration of Jason’s return from the grave for more kills and fun moments, for the most part.
While its a shame for lackluster graphical kills (minus three of the kills that I like), but the production looks pretty good with promising big budget (though still cheap), a nice filming shots, pretty cool stunt and well included Alice Cooper songs. Though without the nudity, but again, im okay without it.
The Characters
Despite the mixed writing, you think the characters are gonna be something new, along with the return of previous movies characters for another chance? Well yes, for the most part.
Lets start off with Jason Voorhees, as always, but this time, he’s played by C. J. Graham. As you can see, Jason is no longer a near-immortal human like in Part 4, here he’s now revived as a powerful revenant with his strength and brutality, and also getting bulky based on Graham’s appearance, which I find Jason’s appearance to be underrated compared to Part 3 and 4. I think this is Graham used to be in a military for Vietnam War based on the way he moves very stiff and hiding the forest like a camouflage. Originally, Dan Bradley was going to be Part 6’s Jason during the first shot (mainly the paintball moments), but Bradley’s time as Jason won’t last long, mainly because they though he was too big to film, so he was replaced by Graham after met him when he used to be nightclub owner. Huh, he went from nightclub to Jason? That’s an odd transition in his career, eh?
And finally, we have Tommy Jarvis, this time played by Thom Mathews. This version of Tommy is more recognizable that we all know, gone from freaky kid with monster puppets and masks from Part 4 and mentally distress from Part 5, here, he’s more warned and vengeful that we just want to see him fighting against Jason to clear his mind once again. Though sometimes he can be a bit cocky to fire back, like when he escapes the prison from the help of Megan or calling out Jason in foul mouth. No offense to Corey Feldman, I think Thom did a great work of his role of Tommy. Again, its no wonder why Mathews’s Tommy is more famous, which is no wonder why he came back in Friday the 13th The Game, as well as fan-made short films called “Never Hike Alone”. However, the major problem about Thom’s Jarvis is that his appearance and his battle against Jason is very minimal, its more about Tommy tries to clear his name to the cops to prove Jason is still alive, or worse, the cops believe that Tommy is a killer. Which I find it pretty cliché how dumb the cops are when they’re trying to protecting Green Forest to constantly saying Jason Voorhees is a myth. And its a shame that this is the last movie starring Tommy Jarvis that we’ll never see him ever again for the rest of the franchise (except for the aforementioned game and Never Hike Alone).
As for the new ones, I find some are average at best, but there are four characters that are worth to talking about.
There’s Megan Garris (played by Jennifer Cooke) is, at first, look like a typical final girl in slasher and a camp counselor of Green Forest, but she’s actually likable, thanks for being rebellious against her father and attached to Tommy Jarvis to prove his innocence. I find her to be memorable how she was written for being rebel, helpful and even badass with the car chase, and of course, Jenny did a good work of her role, but its a shame between this and cameo in the show “A Year in the Life” would be her final time before she retired to focusing her own life. Aw well.
Next we have Sheriff Mike Garris (played by David Kagen) who’s a sort of antagonist in the movie that he doesn’t believing about Jason came out of the grave, along with being overprotective to anyone who live in Camp Forest to prove he’s the law. I mean sure he may have a sympathy on some like Tommy for losing his family and friend back in Part 4 and caring so much on his daughter Megan, but again, he’s pretty much an A-Hole for being protective nor even acknowledge about Jason’s killing spree, along with blaming the victim like Tommy, which again, I find the latter so cliché for his point of view. I know some may like this guy, but im not a fan of him for how, again, he gatekeeping the place that used to be called Crystal Lake. Though im not saying I hate David’s performance, he did a nice work on his role with all due respect.
Then we have Martin (played by Bob Larkin), a gravedigger (or cemetery caretaker) who’s somehow fascinating for bringing his humor dialogues in the movie from questioning the situation of Jason’s grave open, in self-aware in front of the camera as I said before, and along with my favorite editing gag. Though as we all know, he didn’t last long for being stabbed through the throat from his own shattered bottle. Aw well, gotta give credit for his delivery from dialogues.
And finally, there’s Deputy Rick Cologne (played by Vincent Guastaferro), one of the policeman with the aforementioned gun with ridiculously large laser scope that he was proud of with “Ya Bang!”. Such an odd fella, but I find him more interesting than Sheriff Garris, based on not just his personality, but also Vince’s delivery from proud of his gun or even being backstabbed by Megan and Tommy. And the fun thing about him, he came back in Never Hike Alone in Snow with Mathews’s Tommy Jarvis too.
As for the rest, there really isn’t much to say for these people for either underdeveloped or for bodycounts, there’s sissy Baker (played by Renee Baker) who’s just… Hanging out with listening music and magazine before head twisted to death, Paula Mott (played by Kerry Noonan) who’s a sensible and protective to some kids in camp like Nancy, because she’s killed off into a blood bath by Jason, Nikki Parsley (played by Darcy DeMoss) is a Cort’s softcore lovely girlfriend in the RV, Cort Andrews (played by Tom Fridley) who’s Nikki’s boyfriend who’s proud of driving RV with listening Alice Cooper’s Teenage Frankenstein, Lizbeth Mott (played by Tom’s wife, Nancy McLoughlin) who’s Paula’s lost sister, and the first girl who’s aware about an unfriendly masked killer and finally there’s Darren Robinson (played by Tony Goldwyn) who’s Liz’s boyfriend in attempt to fight Jason. Though interesting fact that this is decade before he voiced Tarzan in 1999.
While some minor ones are just there for survival or be killed, but it has some characters that are enjoyable to be mentioned, even if it could’ve gone better to give more appearance to Tommy Jarvis.
SPOILER ALERT for those who haven’t seen the movie, if you don’t care.
The final act is much like as you expect if you watched the previous installments. Though when it comes to this one, its like Part 5, but better.
While Jason is wandering around in the camp formerly known as “Camp Crystal Lake”, Tommy Jarvis called Megan to give him a lift to going back there for his unfinished business. While he’s in Megan’s Chevy Camaro, they caught in hot water by the cops for speeding, leaving the good’ol fashion car chase with Alice Cooper’s Hard Rock Summer playing on the radio (I think). But the chase didn’t last long as the cops outsmarted our heroes by Sheriff Garris. While returning to the station after the report of discovered more dead bodies like Cort and Nikki, Megan begs her father to prove Tommy is innocent that Jason is out there, but alas, Sheriff Garris refuses to believe it and claims Tommy is the killer, putting him back in the cell again (that bastard…!), leaving Tommy and Megan being watched by Deputy Rick Cologne, while Sheriff Garris left for more Crime Scene Investigation (no pun intended). To setting up the escape, Megan approaches to Tommy for making out, leaving Deputy Cologne startled them over their sharing veggies, but not before he got backfired by Megan by snatching out his pistol from his holster to let Tommy go (along with Vincent’s most betrayed delivery I’ve ever heard), or else, Tommy copies what Rick said before in a cocky mood, and their plan work to not only escape the station, but also locking up Deputy Cologne (“MEGAN!!!” Ohh man, more fun betrayed delivery). While Tommy and Megan are on their way to going back to Camp Forest Green, Jason Voorhees goes full on Cop Killer from headshot with a dart and head crush with bare hands, Sheriff Garris is in alert to tell the kids to leave the camp safely before gets caught by Jason. While Megan tries to call her daddy sheriff, it was too late that Jason killed him with a nasty back breaking folding like a chair (such a creative and brutal kill, even without the gore, because MPAA said so). After Jason broke in and attempt to kill Megan, Tommy calls out Jason in foul mouthing way, leaving a showdown between the survivor from Part 4 and the hockey masked killer that Tommy was traumatized for long time. While Jason swims in the lake, Tommy circles with gasoline to light the circle of fire, but Jason tricks Tommy from behind that feels more of a grappling fight. But Jason breaks the boat in half (with being chained around his neck with a sinking rock that he’s on the verge of drowning, Tommy barely escapes from drowning Jason, leaving Megan swims to the rescue to saving Tommy’s ass the lake (though the outdoor lake was filmed in cold night at Georgia, while underwater was filmed in temperature-controlled swimming pool in University of Southern California), but she was caught by Jason’s hand that she doesn’t wanna get drowned too by ignite the boat with a propeller cutting Jason’s throat with blood bursting (Though Jason’s slashed by boat propeller was filmed in McLoughlin’s family swimming pool without making a mess in USC’s pool). And in the end, Tommy is survived from Megan’s CPR and they lived happily ever after… Well, so we think as Jason is still alive while being drowned.
Quite of fun ride to see the epic showdown between Tommy and Megan vs Jason, especially for how challenging they filmed from above the water and underwater. Though the bad news is that, I forgot to mention that this is Tommy Jarvis’s final film he’s ever appeared on. Rumor speculated that Corey Feldman (who played Tommy in Part 4) would like to coming back in alternative sequel (kind of like Halloween changed sequels like H2O or the 2018 one), but it will be remained forever mystery. And lastly, in the original ending, Martin (who’s originally intended to be survived) meets a mysterious man who goes after Jason’s and Pamela’s graves, the mysterious man happens to be Jason’s father, Elias Voorhees. However, that ending was scrapped by Frank Macuso Jr. in favor of cliffhanger of Jason’s coming back, again. Sucks for not giving us the father chemistry, but whole Elias Voorhees plan onscreen will also be remaining mystery.
And now for my final opinion of this film
Overall, Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives is a fun movie and I can definitely see why many fans called it the best one of the franchise, though I kind of agree on that, but Part 4 is, for me, the best one.
The presentation looks pretty good, the characters are enjoyable (for some actors, while some minor characters are bellow, except for some like Martin, Deputy Cologne and I forgot to mention the two boys), Jason looks pretty cool and probably terrifying as a powerful undead being, it has some fun humors based on meta elements, and some kills are good.
However, despite it has some great stuff, it doesn’t mean its all perfect such as “same old same old” plot, but with Tommy’s final ride (which I wish they could’ve make more about him), some kills are unseen because of MPAA, and again, some remaining characters could’ve gone better, if the writing would’ve been more fun and likable.
Like I said, even though people said its the best one, I maybe agree, but Part 4 is more fun to watch, which is like my cup of tea, while Part 6, while its fun to see Jason comes out of the grave, but it feels more like pass, more like my Number 2 pick (so far as im writing this). If you like Part 6, that’s good for you, for me, its good, but more of a pass. And once again, I recommend to watch it for once, unless if you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise, this one is for you.
For my rating, im gonna give this one a 6.5/10.
So this ends of my Movie Review. But next time (on March of Friday the 13th), we’re take a look when Paramount wanted to do a crossover, kind of… But more like if you put Jason meets a character with similar power as Carrie.
Anyway, 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.
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