Friday, March 6, 2009

Film Review--Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan
written and directed by Rob Hedden
based on characters created by Victor Miller
starring Kane Hodder, Jensen Daggett, Barbara Bingham, Peter Mark Richman, Saffron Henderson, Martin Cummins, Vincent Craig Dupree, Sharlene Martin

First of all, Jason doesn’t exactly “take” Manhattan. Two thirds of the way through the picture he does manage to visit there and continue in his delightful occupation, but it hardly constitutes full-blown mayhem which the title certainly promises. What we have is a boatload of highschool seniors who are heading off to New York for their graduation. As the film opens, a naughty couple are having sex aboard a boat. They drop anchor and it inadvertently hits a powerline which awakens Jason yet again. He manages to get on the pleasure cruise ship and subsequently fulfils his tender oath and begins slaughtering the unsuspecting ciphers one at a time.

This film adds an element that hasn’t been as pronounced in earlier installments in the series. Jason’s victims bleat and plea for their lives more in this one and it adds a scintillating element to the story. Best of all is a scene with the prissy and demonstrably conniving Tamara Mason is taking a shower and Jason comes in to seduce her. While romance is thwarted and he ends up stabbing her with a shard from a broken mirror. She cowers, whines, and otherwise puts on a pretty decent show before her unceremonious demise at the hands of her would be suitor.

Jason’s kills are not very imaginative here and the film definitely lacks style points as the dull, burdensome killings continue unabated. If only there was a single character worth getting thrilled over than these films would be more vital than they are. Instead, we are left with characters who, as has almost always been the case, lack a discernible personality that elevates them above the typical kill victim. Actually, there was a promising character early in the film but Jason spears him within the first ten minutes. His performance suggests something more than what is generally to be expected in these films.

In this film a girl named Rennie Wickham (Daggett) is taking the cruise against the wishes of her Uncle Charles McCulloch (Richman), the group’s chaperone. She is haunted throughout the entire film by images of a young Jason who we learn apparently tried to pull her down after Uncle Charles pushed he off the dock intending to teach her how to swim. She sees him everywhere and it truly twists her melon to the point that she can hardly tell what is real and what is imaginary at some point. Rennie is a meek girl who is shy and the complete opposite of girls like Tamara, the prom queen who also enjoys a bit of nose candy now and again. Rennie is protected somewhat by Miss Colleen Van Deusen (Bingham), another chaperone who is constantly at odds with Uncle Charles.

One imagines terrific excitement once Jason finally lands in Manhattan but the result is pretty much a downer. Yes, he takes care of a couple of junkie thugs, a cop, a bouncer at a bar, and several members of our merry crew who escaped when the ship caught on fire. But he has so much opportunity to run wild in the streets cleaning up the sewage at every opportunity. Instead, his focus remains strictly on the last two survivors and he chases them on a subway, through Times Square, and into the sewers. Again, so many chances are not taken and the end is not particularly satisfying.

There is something rather odd about watching Jason perform basic human tasks such as shutting a storage hatch. Somehow the action is more pronounced, more deliberate, and not without its grace. It shows an elegance about Jason which he mostly attempts to hide when he’s off enjoying the sights and hacking up his chosen ones. This film shows that Jason has a very focused mind and is not distracted easily by what is taking place around him. He chases his victims with a strong sense of purpose and never gives up on them. He knows what he wants and how to get it. So very few nowadays can say the same thing which makes Jason into a character worth admiring on a certain level. He’s very good at what he does although he does seem to run into some trouble now and again. No matter, there’s always lightning or power surges or a girl’s telekinesis to help him out of a tight scrape.

Overall, this film does nothing particularly novel and lacks some of the urgency that has made earlier films in the series more dynamic. The deaths are rudimentary and the film simply does not live up to its title. Ultimately, there is little character development which is nothing particularly new for the franchise. Jason’s killing spree seems truncated and could have enveloped so much more if that plot line were pursued.

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