On most Friday the 13ths I usually search the cable channels for a Jason marathon. No matter how many times I've seen these corny flicks, I just can't seem to get enough. But last Friday night, I had the chance see the latest reboot in a crowded theater. And the weather was perfect for the occasion; dark and rainy. Going in, I was expecting to see a modern take on the Camp Crystal Lake legend. And this film definitely delivers that. Overall, the movie plays like a fast-forward composite of the first four movies. There's the prologue sequence with Pamela Voorhees meeting her fate. Then there's the hooded Jason period, before he finds the iconic hockey mask. Finally, there's Jason stalking his prey in an upscale vacation house...much like The Final Chapter, but without the bald Corey Feldman. I really liked the whole origin angle with nods to the original films. But one carryover from the originals that I could have done without were the one-dimensional portrayals of the victims. Within the first few minutes you can figure out who's going to live and who's going to die simply by the inane dialogue. Beyond that, it's just a matter of guessing when and how. I think this is a series that could be made much more terrifying if the victims were a bit more sympathetic. Plus, Jason's portrayed more as a reclusive serial killer than an invincible supernatural being. I guess that sort of works with the whole origin aspect. Despite these shortcomings, this is still a very entertaining movie and the most technically proficient Friday the 13th ever made. Given it's performance over the weekend, I suspect we'll be seeing more of Jason in the years ahead. Hopefully they can find ways to keep it fresh and less predictable.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Friday the 13th
On most Friday the 13ths I usually search the cable channels for a Jason marathon. No matter how many times I've seen these corny flicks, I just can't seem to get enough. But last Friday night, I had the chance see the latest reboot in a crowded theater. And the weather was perfect for the occasion; dark and rainy. Going in, I was expecting to see a modern take on the Camp Crystal Lake legend. And this film definitely delivers that. Overall, the movie plays like a fast-forward composite of the first four movies. There's the prologue sequence with Pamela Voorhees meeting her fate. Then there's the hooded Jason period, before he finds the iconic hockey mask. Finally, there's Jason stalking his prey in an upscale vacation house...much like The Final Chapter, but without the bald Corey Feldman. I really liked the whole origin angle with nods to the original films. But one carryover from the originals that I could have done without were the one-dimensional portrayals of the victims. Within the first few minutes you can figure out who's going to live and who's going to die simply by the inane dialogue. Beyond that, it's just a matter of guessing when and how. I think this is a series that could be made much more terrifying if the victims were a bit more sympathetic. Plus, Jason's portrayed more as a reclusive serial killer than an invincible supernatural being. I guess that sort of works with the whole origin aspect. Despite these shortcomings, this is still a very entertaining movie and the most technically proficient Friday the 13th ever made. Given it's performance over the weekend, I suspect we'll be seeing more of Jason in the years ahead. Hopefully they can find ways to keep it fresh and less predictable.
Monday, February 2, 2009
G.I. Joe Trailer
For me, the best part of the Super Bowl was seeing so many new movie trailers. In fact, I don't recall seeing so many movie ad buys in a Super Bowl. But the one that stuck out for me was the trailer (more of a teaser) for the G.I. Joe flick set to release in August. Now I absolutely hated the Transformers movie, but it looks like this is one that could work. Anyway, if you missed it, it's now up on the official website. While I'm not too crazy about the skintight X-Men-like costumes, this could be a good real-world adaptation. Plus, it looks like we're going to get a Snake Eyes vs. Storm Shadow showdown. I'm there, even if the rest of the movie stinks. But Marlon Wayans as Rip Cord? And the kid from 3rd Rock as Cobra Commander? Yeah, I have my doubts but we'll see what happens.
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