Nobody really believed it would
ever happen. Sure the idea
had been touted around for
what seemed like forever, and
the end of Jason Goes to Hell: The
Final Friday made a link between
the two characters. But the chance
of seeing the two biggest horror
icons of the last 50 years going one
on one on the big screen? Yeah, like
that could ever happen!
Well, you better believe it fanboy, as
New Line finally stumped up the cash
and delivered the goods with Freddy
vs. Jason. Taking its cue from Freddy's
Dead: The Final Nightmare, the film
begins with Freddy (Robert Englund)
still banished from the earthly realm.
Nobody remembers him any more
so his power has been completely
diminished, which doesn't bode very
well for his continuing plan of revenge
against the denizens of Springwood.
So, he finally comes up with a
gruesome plan of action that utilises
the talents of a certain Mr Jason
Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) to remind the
local residents what fear really is. But
when Jason starts stealing his kills,
Freddy realises that his scheme might
not be going exactly to plan.
Freddy vs. Jason came in for a fair
bit of stick on its theatrical release
from both serious film critics and fans
of either franchise. As a long-standing
horror aficionado I'd like to set the
record straight. Although even I would
be hard pushed to describe Freddy vs.
Jason as one of the best films of last
year, I will argue long and hard with
anyone who believes that there was
a film that delivered more visceral
thrills than this long-awaited team-up.
OK, the teens (headed up by the
remarkably buxom Monica Keena)
are cookie-cutter slasher fodder, but
who cares about them - they're only
there for Freddy and Jason to kill.
The whole point of this film is to watch
two cinematic legends hack and slash
their way through a variety of nobodies
before facing off against one another
in two hugely enjoyable showdowns.
Apart from this, what makes the
film work so well is director Ronny Yu.
Showing the same visual flair he used to turn around the Child's Play
franchise in Bride of Chucky, Yu
ensures that even when Freddy and
Jason aren't onscreen there is always
something interesting to look at or
some surprising visual trick. However,
when the diabolical duo do make it
to the screen (and thankfully, there's
not much time when the presence of
either one or the other isn't palpable)
he really cuts loose with sequences
that feel like the cinematic equivalent
of a WWE pay-per-view main event.
Freddy vs. Jason is not big or clever,
but it is the most entertaining piece of
cinema you'll see this side of Pirates
of the Caribbean. In case you are
wondering who wins, well we wouldn't
spoil that for you, but in this reviewer's
opinion the right man is left standing
at the end of the brawl.
ever happen. Sure the idea
had been touted around for
what seemed like forever, and
the end of Jason Goes to Hell: The
Final Friday made a link between
the two characters. But the chance
of seeing the two biggest horror
icons of the last 50 years going one
on one on the big screen? Yeah, like
that could ever happen!
Well, you better believe it fanboy, as
New Line finally stumped up the cash
and delivered the goods with Freddy
vs. Jason. Taking its cue from Freddy's
Dead: The Final Nightmare, the film
begins with Freddy (Robert Englund)
still banished from the earthly realm.
Nobody remembers him any more
so his power has been completely
diminished, which doesn't bode very
well for his continuing plan of revenge
against the denizens of Springwood.
So, he finally comes up with a
gruesome plan of action that utilises
the talents of a certain Mr Jason
Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) to remind the
local residents what fear really is. But
when Jason starts stealing his kills,
Freddy realises that his scheme might
not be going exactly to plan.
Freddy vs. Jason came in for a fair
bit of stick on its theatrical release
from both serious film critics and fans
of either franchise. As a long-standing
horror aficionado I'd like to set the
record straight. Although even I would
be hard pushed to describe Freddy vs.
Jason as one of the best films of last
year, I will argue long and hard with
anyone who believes that there was
a film that delivered more visceral
thrills than this long-awaited team-up.
OK, the teens (headed up by the
remarkably buxom Monica Keena)
are cookie-cutter slasher fodder, but
who cares about them - they're only
there for Freddy and Jason to kill.
The whole point of this film is to watch
two cinematic legends hack and slash
their way through a variety of nobodies
before facing off against one another
in two hugely enjoyable showdowns.
Apart from this, what makes the
film work so well is director Ronny Yu.
Showing the same visual flair he used to turn around the Child's Play
franchise in Bride of Chucky, Yu
ensures that even when Freddy and
Jason aren't onscreen there is always
something interesting to look at or
some surprising visual trick. However,
when the diabolical duo do make it
to the screen (and thankfully, there's
not much time when the presence of
either one or the other isn't palpable)
he really cuts loose with sequences
that feel like the cinematic equivalent
of a WWE pay-per-view main event.
Freddy vs. Jason is not big or clever,
but it is the most entertaining piece of
cinema you'll see this side of Pirates
of the Caribbean. In case you are
wondering who wins, well we wouldn't
spoil that for you, but in this reviewer's
opinion the right man is left standing
at the end of the brawl.
SCOREOur Review Ethos
Read about our review ethos and the meaning of our review badges.
To comment on what you've read here, click the Discussion tab and post a reply.
