Review of Freddy vs. Jason (2003) by Jeremiah K — 30 Mar 2012

Two successful horror series end:. A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. So what do you do to keep two horror icons on top? You put them in the same movie, of course! This idea had actually been around since the late 80's, when both series were starting to dwindle at the box office (which is part of the reason they both came to an end a couple of movies later).

If you read my review for Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, then you'd know (or perhaps you already knew) that it was originally written to be the Jason VS. Freddy match-up, but when Paramount Pictures and New Line Cinema couldn't reach an agreement about financing and distribution rights, the project was re-written and became another Friday sequel without Freddy.

Even at the end of Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, we're teased when Freddy pulls Jason's mask underground, foreboding what's to come. It went through development hell all the way into the new millenium, taking almost 20 years until everything finally fell into place.

New Line Cinema bought the rights to make new Friday films and a script was agreed upon, as was a title: Freddy VS. Jason (because it "sounded better"). As for me, I enjoyed the hell out of it.

It was a lot of fun watching these two go at it, and they REALLY go at it. The film also doesn't step outside of canon, either, honoring both franchises without changing their backstories. They even allude to or you use things from past films in each series within the plot.

Of course, not everybody was happy with it. People bitched and moaned that Kane Hodder wasn't back to play Jason. Instead, stuntman Ken Kirzinger took over the role, which caused quite a row. I didn't really care who was playing Jason, to be honest.

Kane Hodder is good in the role, but there's never been a definitive Jason for me. All I know is that I had been waiting for this movie since I first read about it in Fangoria magazine in 1993. The movie is what it's supposed to be: Freddy and Jason bashing the hell out of each other.

I think people were pre-disposed to believe that this would be another entry in both franchises, but that just wouldn't work. It's not a Friday the 13th movie, nor is it A Nightmare on Elm Street movie.

It's its own thing, and exists because of those movies. So if you haven't seen this one, let me give you some advice: as long as you can sit back and enjoy a fun movie without worrying too much about its quality, then you'll be fine.

It's a bit old school with most of the effects, gore out the wazoo, some cheesy dialogue at times and just overall, a fun movie. I don't know what else people could possibly want from it.