Well, here we are again, fishing for views more than likely or is this something else? Well, it is a topic we’ve broached numerous times here at The Horror Syndicate and really, its my website and I’ll do what I want.
I love the Friday the 13th Franchise so much, the good, the bad and the ugly. Seth Miller, co-host and writer for the Horror Syndicate and I did an entire series over on our Youtube channel on our show Horror Movie Massacre discussing every single Friday the 13th movie, all 12, at length. You can see the finale right here. Don’t forget to Subscribe!
I decided to take it upon myself to breakdown how I feel, just like I have for every decade of horror and even my Top 50 80s horror films. I just love ranking things, movies, characters, kills and whatever else comes to mind. I did rank the Elm Street films as well, not long ago. So, you can bet your ass I’ll do yet another Halloween franchise ranking in October, who cares anymore. If you are here, you do or…you want to talk shit about my rankings and that is fine, opinions are like assholes, as they say. Some will likely not read a fucking word.I write, cool. So I may as well get to ranking these movies.
I will also go back to my original rankings here for the Horror Syndicate. The number between the ( ) or for you English scholars, the parentheses will be my old ranking. I am curious to see how different I feel 7 years later.
Shall we begin?
12. Jason X (2001) (11)
Where to begin. This can be looked at as a fun movie, but the further away I get, the less fun it becomes. The CGI looks terrible, the acting is terrible and I absolutely hate Jason’s mask, pre-Uber Jason. Also, I don’t care for Uber Jason. It’s barely a Friday the 13th film with is good that it’s called “Jason X” thanks to Paramount and New Line.
One thing Jason X has going for it, some of the kills. Of course we know about the now iconic liquid nitrogen kill and it seems to be a fan favorite, and why not?
I feel like this will always be either number 11 or 12 in my ranking, well until we get a new film, the who know, Jason X could be 13.
11. Freddy Vs Jason (2003) (10)
This is a fan favorite, people still really love Freddy vs Jason. I don’t know if I ever have. It’s extremely dated, which I think is an issue in many films from 1998 to about 2004. There is bad CGI and the story itself is just not good. Jason was never afraid of water, ever. I don’t think fear was an emotion Jason has, if he has any emotions at all.
I don’t know if this one has anything going for it at this point. Robert Englund returns for his final theatrical role as Freddy and that is likely the only good thing. The #1 champion for this movie over the years has been Kane Hodder and he didn’t get to play Jason. That alone is damn near blasphemy.
I’ll be honest seeing these two on screen together was a dream come true, but after 20 years, it’s more like a nightmare, get it. Now with Robert Englund out as Freddy and Kane Hodder unlikely to play Jason again, it feels pointless to bother with another Freddy vs Jason. Especially as both franchises remain dormant for the 14 and 13 years.
10. Friday the 13th 3D (1982) (8)
Even in the 1980s I wasn’t fond of part 3. It is loved by the fans, but why? Most say one dumb reason “He gets his mask”. So what? This is the lowest rated Friday the 13th on Rotton Tomatoes and for good reason. It just isn’t good. The cast is extremely unlikable and it has arguably the worst final girl in the series in Chris Higgins. The sexually charged attack from Jason makes no sense and of course Jason looks way different from the previous movie. That is an entirely new world of theories and mysteries, they change his look, that’s it.
Anything good from this one? Let’s say yes, the kills were fantastic and really help the entertainment level of this kind of clunky horror slasher film. The third act and Jason getting his iconic axe wound are pretty cool too. He gets his mask and fucks it up immediately.
9. Jason Goes to Hell The Final Friday (1993) (12)
Wow, Jason Goes to Hell had moved up 4 spots since the last ranking. 30 years later I think I finally see what I had been missing for all of those decades. I spent years hating this movie and ignoring it, it’s not in the timeline, at all. I get New Line had certain restrictions, but Sean Cunningham is the biggest problem with this movie. The man who created Friday the 13th was also the man who brought its ruin. People blame Adam Marcus, no he did his job and did it well. To be completely honest, Jason Goes to Hell would have made a killer horror film in 1993 if you removed Jason and the Friday the 13th lore.
I really do enjoy this movie nowadays . Good characters and killer moments, Creighton Duke, where has he been? Amazing character crafted by Adam Marcus and Steven Williams.
8. Friday the 13th Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) (9)
So, Jason Takes Manhattan is of course a movie with a great title and idea, but poor execution. There is no middle ground with this one. Either you love it or you hate it. I do love it, just not as much as the others. Most will mention the fact that most of the movie takes place on a boat, Jason on a boat. That is fair and true but isn’t the journey fun? I like it.
I don’t look at this one with negative eyes. I do have nostalgia goggles on, but it starts off good and has an odd ending. If I were to continue the franchise based off the Paramount movies, this one would be omitted. The ending…there is no coming back from the toxic ending of Jason Takes Manhattan.
7. Friday the 13th (1980) (3)
How the original has fallen. I do like original, but its not as good as most of the others. Sure as a standalone it is great. Mrs. Voorhees is a great villain with good reason and of course we get an amazing ending with Jason jumping out of the lake.
Friday the 13th is still a good movie, but there are better films in the franchise. I have to mention the characters are the most forgettable as well, especially Alice. But without Friday the 13th, without Alice and Mrs. Voorhees. There’d be nothing to rank.
6. Friday the 13th (2009) (5)
Well, yeah. Middle of the road movie. There are things I like, there are things I don’t like. In 2009, I think this was a movie that right for the time. Derek Mears was a great Jason with a cast of forgettable cast of early 20s partners. The kills are good and the story is fine and overall it’s a good time. It’s almost as if this one could fit in to the Part II to Final Chapter timeline.
Stupendous! There are parts of the remake that are stupendous. But it’s a middle ground movie.
5. Friday the 13th VII: The New Blood (1988) (6)
I’m not sure why, but in many ways this is middle of the road one for me. Let’s start off, it’s not great. But there are things some things to remember. Melissa is a bitch but has an amazing death. Kane Hodder is here and for the long haul, but this is his best movie by far and his best look as Jason.
We do get something a bit different with Tina having powers and Jason finally meets hit match and there are some fun moments for sure. I love when the mask breaks showing how disgusting his face is under the hockey mask. Overall, it’s fun. But Melissa is the best!
4. Friday the 13th V: A New Beginning (1985) (7)
Now this movie goes back to basics, who dun it? This is a direct sequel to the Final Chapter and we pick up a few years after and meet a teenage…well supposed to be teenage Tommy Jarvis going to a group home. We get a wild bunch of kids, Vic kills Joey for offering him a chocolate bar, someone copycats the Jason Voorhees killings and a great cliffhanger ending. It’s awesome, you feel like Tommy is the killer all along, but it turns out to be Roy Burns and it’s a bit of a let down, because he was an ambulance driver and you might forget who he is. But I love it, I love the mask.
I am really surprised Halloween hasn’t going this route yet. A copycat Michael Myers would be interesting, although Corey Cunningham is kind of a copycat.
3. Friday the 13th – The Final Chapter (1984) (2)
I know what you’re thinking. Most people have Final Chapter at #1. While I respect this one there is something about it that just doesn’t click with me. There is a ton of good here, but it just leaves me kind of bored at times. Ted White is the absolute best part about this movie. He looks great and is likely the most terrifying Jason of them all.
The story is much like any of the others and there are memorable characters. We get the beginning of the Tommy Jarvis trilogy. Jason’s death is badass, the way his head slides down the machete is so damn cool.
2. Friday the 13th part II (1981) (4)
Part 2 has really been growing on me over the years. It lead me to a few weird theories about Jason or his father, which may be dumb. When I was younger I didn’t care too much about part II and it may have had something to do with the mask…yes it was dumb. But now, I love it. Iconic kills, Ginny and yes, sackhead Jason.
The end of Part II is so good, Jason hiding in the cabin and attacking Ginny. But when she stumbles on Jason’s shack and pretends to be his mother is such a smart move.
1. Friday the 13th Jason Lives (1986) (1)
This will never change for me. Jason Lives is the most balanced film of all 12. It has a little of everything, well no boobs, but I guess that is ok. CJ Graham looks excellent as Jason, Thom Matthews is the best version of Tommy Jarvis in any of the films.
I’ll admit, this is the first of all Friday films I’ve seen and it could have something to do with that, but it is damn good. The elements of Gothic Horror really make me happy and my favorite kill is in Jason Lives.
Thanks for checking out my new up to date ranking of Friday the 13th Franchise. This is of course my personal ranking and I’d love to see yours, because there is no wrong answer on how to rank these movies. Drop your ranking in the comments on Facebook.
And remember…He’s out there…
Happy Friday the 13th!
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel for every single episode of THS DISCOURSE and HORROR MOVIE MASSACRE! Follow The Horror Syndicate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
