When rewatching popular horror franchises, look no further than the Friday the 13th series. This iconic addition to the slasher subgenre dominated the 1980s and continues to be a pop-cultural significance thanks to its recognizable hockey mask-wearing slasher villain, Jason Voorhees.
The Friday the 13th series has become highly successful over the years, generating much box office revenue and a devoted fan base. With twelve entries in this long-running franchise, they all make for an enjoyable binge-watching experience, and they’re always fun to put on during the Halloween season. Despite having no new film entries in over a decade (due to seemingly endless disputes over the rights), the Friday the 13th series endures with fans. These are all twelve entries in the iconic series, ranked by how rewatchable they are.
12 ‘Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday’ (1993)
Directed by Adam Marcus
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday was meant to be the epic conclusion to the series once New Line Cinema bought the rights from Paramount. Despite having an explosive opening scene, it all went downhill once the plot introduced an absurd story arc about Jason’s spirit being able to possess other people’s bodies to continue his murder spree.
This ninth installment tried to introduce too many nonsensical supernatural elements to Jason’s backstory that never got fully explained. It’s also a let-down that despite the film being Jason’s last outing, he barely has any screen time, which is a shame considering his impressive new design.
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11 ‘Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan’ (1989)
Directed by Rob Hedden
By the time the eighth entry in the series came around, the filmmakers decided it was time to move Jason out of the woods and onto the bustling streets of New York for a new and exciting adventure. It’s a fun and interesting idea that fits well with the franchise’s tone but ultimately fails in its execution.
Jason Takes Manhattan had the misfortune of having a slashed budget, meaning many of the New York scenes in the script were drastically cut. As a result, most of the film drags as it focuses more on the boat Jason takes to get to the city. Once he’s in the Big Apple, there are a few impressive shots, but it didn’t help the film’s already slow pace and disastrous ending.
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10 ‘Jason X’ (2002)
Directed by James Isaac
By the time the tenth installment came around, Jason Voorhees had hacked and slashed his way from Camp Crystal Lake to New York City. In 2002, the filmmakers devised an even more ridiculous approach to the series by taking Jason on a futuristic adventure in outer space.
Jason X knows how ridiculous it is and plays it up for laughs. While it can be pretty entertaining, the movie still has plenty of dull moments with uninteresting human characters that are there to beef up the body count. Despite its faults, Jason X is still a fun, mindless flick that parodies the series.
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9 ‘Friday the 13th’ (2009)
Directed by Marcus Nispel
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The 2000s saw some iconic slasher films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and A Nightmare on Elm Street remade for modern audiences. Eventually, 2009’s remake of the original Friday the 13th came out and paid homage to the series while trying something different.
Though this film could be considered unnecessary at times, it’s better than some other horror remakes since it tries to incorporate many good qualities from the original franchise. This Jason is faster, more aggressive, and given more emotion to help him stand out. It may not be the best, but it at least takes Jason back to his frightening roots.
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8 ‘Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning’ (1985)
Directed by Danny Steinmann
A New Beginning tried to continue the franchise after Jason’s definitive death at the end of the previous installment. Though it performed well at the box office, the film was critically panned and hated by audiences for its lackluster whodunit plot and underwhelming replacement killer.
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Over the years, the film has slowly become more divisive within the fanbase. Many still hate it, but others have come around to enjoy the film’s many faults, and it has gradually garnered its status as a “so-bad-it’s-good” horror film. It also has some of the most hilarious characters who help make the film entertaining and enjoyable from start to finish.
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7 ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)
Directed by Sean S. Cunningham
After the box office success of John Carpenter‘s Halloween, many copycat films came out trying to capitalize on the already-existent slasher craze. In 1980, one of these so-called knockoff films was the first installment in the Friday the 13th series, which proved to be a massive success with impressive scares.
The film is most memorable for its great twist villain, Pamela Voorhees (Betsey Palmer), who kick-started the franchise’s popularity one year before her iconic son Jason came along. Though some impressive sequels have since overshadowed this one, there is no denying the hand the original played in creating this beloved franchise.
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6 ‘Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood’ (1988)
Directed by John Carl Buechler
The New Blood isn’t as groundbreaking as some other entries and only serves to continue Jason’s undead story arc. However, the film is wildly entertaining, with plenty of great action scenes and impressive stunt work by its new Jason actor, Kane Hodder.
While the heavily censored kills, and bland characters drag the film’s entertainment down a bit, Hodder’s amazing physical talents and death-defying stunts in the Jason costume keep the excitement going. He did such an impressive job as this beloved slasher that he returned to the role for the next three installments.
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5 ‘Friday the 13th Part II’ (1981)
Directed by Steve Miner
Friday the 13th Part II continued the series’ momentum with a beefier body count and more believable characters. It also introduced viewers to the first appearance of adult Jason Voorhees before he wore the iconic hockey goalie mask that made him a horror legend.
Part II wasted no time establishing Jason’s character, introducing his style of killing and a few of his personality traits that carry on into the sequels. It also has a great cast of actors who give decent enough performances to help make the audience care for their survival.
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4 ‘Friday the 13th Part III’ (1982)
Directed by Steve Miner
The mid 1980s saw a surge of 3D gimmicked horror films to attract more audiences for a fun and exciting movie-going experience. Knowing the box office potential of this format for the next movie, the filmmakers decided to give Jason the 3D treatment with Friday the 13th Part III, one of the most profitable sequels in the franchise.
Admittedly, most of the 3D effects look laughably bad, but they only add to the film’s entertainment value, and it’s fun to laugh at how ridiculous some of the scenes look. It also has memorable kills and finally introduces viewers to Jason’s iconic hockey mask for the first time.
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3 ‘Freddy vs. Jason’ (2003)
Directed by Ronny Yu
Since Freddy Krueger’s (Robert Englund) glove pulled Jason’s mask into the ground at the end of The Final Friday, fans knew an epic crossover between the two iconic slashers was inevitable. Finally, after years of wait, the highly anticipated Freddy vs. Jason was released and delivered a fantastic match.
It wisely builds up Freddy and Jason’s (Ken Kirzinger) intense rivalry effectively and believably. Establishing tension between the two and explaining why they hate each other helps make their inevitable confrontation all the more interesting. Once they do fight, it’s an exciting and brutal match to the death that can only have one winner.
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2 ‘Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter’ (1984)
Directed by Joseph Zito
Co-creator Frank Mancuso Jr. felt the series started to run its course after Part III and wanted to give Jason a definitive end with 1984’s The Final Chapter. Though it didn’t stay the final chapter for long, the film nevertheless succeeded in giving Jason an exciting and bloody “last” outing as a living killer.
Many fans look back on The Final Chapter all these years later and find it to be one of the most memorable installments in the franchise. With some unique kills and a great cast, including Cory Feldman as the recurring protagonist, Tommy Jarvis, it’s easy to see why this film is recognized as a fan-favorite.
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1 ‘Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives’ (1986)
Directed by Tom McGlouchlin
The Final Chapter may have effectively killed off Jason for good, but it gave a few hints that maybe someday he’ll return. Thankfully, due to the character’s popularity, Jason eventually made a triumphant comeback in 1986’s Jason Lives, which also began his run as an unstoppable rampaging zombie.
Jason Lives was well-received by audiences and critics who loved the film’s excellent mix of horror and self-aware comedy. With a bigger budget and a few awesome songs performed by Alice Cooper, it’s a highly entertaining sixth installment that gets better with every rewatch.
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