Friday the 13th films best to worst
by chicago103 | created - 06 May 2016 | updated - 4 months ago | PublicI am an outsider and newcomer to this franchise thanks to a recent movie marathon they had on Movies-TV channel. I honestly don't take this franchise that seriously so don't mind if my rankings are a bit eclectic. I have not seen Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X or the reboot and I consider Freddy vs. Jason to be more of a Nightmare on Elm Street movie.
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1. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
R | 86 min | Horror, Thriller
Tommy Jarvis exhumes Jason Voorhees to cremate his corpse, but inadvertently brings him back to life instead. The newly revived killer seeks revenge, and Tommy may be the only one who can stop him.
Director: Tom McLoughlin | Stars: Thom Mathews, Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen, Kerry Noonan
Votes: 51,261 | Gross: $19.47M
The ressurrection scene for Jason is weird but given these movies I can go with it. I laughed at the James Bond homage in the opening credits. This movie felt a little bit more like a movie from the Halloween franchise with Tommy and company going after Jason and that is probably why I liked it.
2. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
R | 91 min | Horror, Thriller
After being announced dead and taken to a morgue, Jason Voorhees spontaneously revives, escapes from the hospital, and stalks a group of friends renting a house in the countryside near Crystal Lake.
Director: Joseph Zito | Stars: Erich Anderson, Judie Aronson, Peter Barton, Kimberly Beck
Votes: 59,204 | Gross: $32.98M
This movie actually had characters you can identify with and root for, something rare in these movies. It actually has a story arc and a satisfying climax. Honestly parts IV-VIII are the best parts of the franchise for me so instead of this being a final chapter it is more like the first fairly good movie in the series, with III being OK.
3. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
R | 92 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Still haunted by his past, Tommy Jarvis, who, as a child, killed Jason Voorhees, is sent to a secluded halfway house in the countryside, where the killing of a young man triggers a brutal series of murders in the area.
Director: Danny Steinmann | Stars: Melanie Kinnaman, John Shepherd, Anthony Barrile, Suzanne Bateman
Votes: 43,941 | Gross: $21.93M
Yes I know Jason isn't in this movie and I really don't care because I am not really emotional invested in this series to begin with. Honestly these are movies about a guy in a mask killing people, essentially the same as all the other movies so who cares! Sure it is not as original as Halloween III is to it's franchise but I do think the premise was a bit clever, the ending was weird though.
4. Friday the 13th: Part 3 (1982)
R | 95 min | Horror, Thriller
Jason Voorhees stalks a group of friends who have just arrived to spend the weekend at a cabin near Crystal Lake.
Director: Steve Miner | Stars: Dana Kimmell, Tracie Savage, Richard Brooker, Terry Ballard
Votes: 60,442 | Gross: $36.69M
This is the first movie we see Jason with his signature mask and thus it is perhaps a better origin movie than the original film. The 3-D stuff is kind of interesting as is the theme song.
5. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
R | 87 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Five years after the events of the first film, a summer camp next to the infamous Camp Crystal Lake is preparing to open, but the legend of Jason is weighing heavy on the proceedings.
Director: Steve Miner | Stars: Betsy Palmer, Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King
Votes: 77,802 | Gross: $21.72M
This one is a little better because we see Jason more in this one but still not in the form we know. It goes a little bit into the lore and thus a little more interesting.
6. Friday the 13th (1980)
R | 95 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A group of teenage camp counselors attempt to re-open an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past, but they are stalked by a mysterious, relentless killer.
Director: Sean S. Cunningham | Stars: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan
Votes: 157,530 | Gross: $39.75M
Yeah I think the original is the least good. It is just too basic a story, it is not as good as other horror movies like Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street. Furthermore we don't even see Jason in the form he is known for.
7. Friday the 13th (2009)
R | 97 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A group of young adults visit a boarded up campsite named Crystal Lake where they soon encounter the mysterious Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions.
Director: Marcus Nispel | Stars: Jared Padalecki, Amanda Righetti, Derek Mears, Danielle Panabaker
Votes: 116,960 | Gross: $65.00M
8. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
R | 97 min | Action, Horror
Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees return to terrorize the teenagers of Elm Street. Only this time, they're out to get each other, too.
Director: Ronny Yu | Stars: Robert Englund, Ken Kirzinger, Kelly Rowland, Monica Keena
Votes: 127,324 | Gross: $82.62M
9. Friday the 13th: The New Blood (1988)
R | 88 min | Horror, Thriller
Jason Voorhees is accidentally freed from his watery prison by a telekinetic teenager. Now, only she can stop him.
Director: John Carl Buechler | Stars: Terry Kiser, Jennifer Banko, John Otrin, Susan Blu
Votes: 42,384 | Gross: $19.17M
I like the psychic girl Tina in this movie it makes it a little bit different and interesting even though at this point I am getting a bit sick of movies about people getting killed in the woods in or near camp Crystal Lake.
10. Jason X (2001)
R | 92 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Jason Voorhees is cryogenically frozen at the beginning of the 21st century, and is discovered in the 25th century and taken to space. He gets thawed, and begins stalking and killing the crew of the spaceship that's transporting him.
Director: James Isaac | Stars: Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Jeff Geddis, David Cronenberg
Votes: 61,551 | Gross: $13.12M
11. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
R | 100 min | Adventure, Horror, Thriller
Jason Voorhees is accidentally awakened from his watery grave and ends up stalking a ship full of graduating high-school students headed to Manhattan, New York.
Director: Rob Hedden | Stars: Jensen Daggett, Kane Hodder, Todd Caldecott, Tiffany Paulsen
Votes: 43,103 | Gross: $14.34M
Sure this is not the best movie but I give it credit for finally getting Jason out of the freaking woods! We had seven movies of people getting chopped up in the woods already, enough! Yes I know the movie is a bit of tease since most of it takes place on a boat on the way to New York but even that I appreciated as a new setting. When Jason finally gets to Manhattan it is too brief at the end of the movie but it was still interesting seeing him in urban setting.
12. Jason Goes to Hell (1993)
R | 87 min | Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
Serial killer Jason Voorhees' supernatural origins are revealed.
Director: Adam Marcus | Stars: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Kane Hodder, Steven Williams
Votes: 36,827 | Gross: $15.94M
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