Freddy Vs Jason Movie Review:

Through out the last twenty years, horror movie icons Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) from the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” films and Jason Voorhees from the “Friday the 13th” films have been recalled to audiences sequel after sequel.

Now after over a decade of pre-production discussion, the scar ridden, knifes as fingers boogey-man Freddy squares off against the wordless, hockey-masked, machete toting Jason (Ken Kirzinger) in Freddy vs. Jason.

This is the 8th installment of the “Elm Street” or “Freddy” films with audiences last seeing the character in 1994’s Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. This is the 11th installment of the “Friday the 13th” or “Jason” films with audiences last seeing Jason in Jason X last summer.

Freddy vs. Jason opens with Freddy practically rotting in hell with no powers since his reputation has been barred from the memories of the Elm street kids. The only way for Freddy to regain his powers is to have the Elm street kids or anyone to fear him again. Searching the bows of hell, Freddy convinces the other indestructible horror figure Jason to go to Elm Street and to begin killing, so the locales will begin having nightmares again. However, after regaining his form from streaming fear of Jason’s killings, Jason just will not stop taking Freddy’s potential victims, which leads to the showdown that the film’s title promises. Of course there are also a group of slasher generic teenage characters that arise when the two killers fight one another.

Hong Kong sensation filmmaker Ronny Yu was given the reigns as the director of this horror franchise film. Yu yearns to create a stylish atmospheres that has never really been elaborate or effective, his directorial credits include the wimpy Warriors of Virtue (1997), the wasteful Bride of Chucky (1998), and the just plain bad Formula 51 (2002). Yu’s direction with Freddy vs. Jason does not fare much better. Yu makes continuous use of slow motion action moments and shadowy filled smoky moments circulated around Freddy and Jason. The gallons of blood, gore and really poor CGI does not help the director in delivering just another typical slasher horror film of this genre. The aspect of having the two-horror figures square off is the interest of the film, and the fight scenes between the two are at times watchable, but eventually become boring and lacklusting. It does take awhile for the two to finally battle, but having some type of background leading to them fighting is better than opening the film with the two squaring off. For a first, audiences are also able to see Jason spitting up blood through his hockey mask during a battle with Freddy. As to who wins, the belief is that most moviegoers all ready know, but this review is spoiler free.

The writers of the film Damian Shannon and Mark Swift try to raise the franchise or franchises to a new level of creativity. Though the battling of the two icons is originative, the writing of the film like everything else in the film is typical of the genre. There are the same one dimensional teenage characters and the humorous one liners such as, “That goalie was really pissed about something.” The killings in the film happen often and quick, which one sequence includes a wink to a set from Children of the Corn (1984). Of course the teenage victims have sex and a naked woman swims in Crystal Lake in one of the films opening scenes.

As for Freddy and Jason, they are the same characters, except uglier. Freddy is once again played by the creepy Robert Englund, who speaks out continues one-liners and screams in constant agony when being hurt. Stuntman Ken Kirzinger replaces Kane Hodder as Jason and dawns the same slow movements and multiple killing methods. The cast of supposed teenagers do what the film calls for, which is scream and think of ways to manipulate Jason or Freddy, as well as be their victims. The one notable actress of the film is Destiny Child’s Kelly Rowland in her acting debut as Kia. She delivers some catchy lines and has an on screen persona. Next time, she just wants to pick a better role.

Freddy vs. Jason has the concept of the two horror figures combining in one film to fight one another, which is the one difference in this slasher franchise film from the others. However, this is just another bad slasher movie, and if it makes money, it will spawn another film. The following fan base of the two franchises will not be disappointed.
Grade: C-

08/15/03
By Joseph C. Tucker

The clash of titans, the rumble of heavyweights, thunder of the monsters?

During the 1980s and early 1990s, two undead box-office titans carried along two of the most successful horror film franchises of all time. The first is a child-murderer who was burned alive by the parents of his victims only to rise again to haunt them in their dreams. He is Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). The second is a drowning victim of some negligent camp-counselors who returns from the murky depths to punish the campers of Crystal Lake. He is Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger).

In 1993s “Jason Goes to Hell:The Final Friday”, fans drooled with excitement after they witnessed the clawed hand of Freddy drag down Jason’s hockey mask beneath the earth at the conclusion of the film. This one moment has sparked theory and speculation to if and when the clash of the infamous undead would occur.

After that event we saw a couple more entries in Jason’s series and one more in Freddy’s but no more signs of the final confrontation. Now fourteen years later after that small event, we have the movie that was promised.

In the film that finally finds the horrific titans facing-off, Freddy Krueger decides he has one last master plan on how to once again raise terror and destroy the people of Elm Street. Freddy invades the dreams of serial killer Jason Voorhees and uses Jason’s unstoppable body to slay the victims of Elm Street. Freddy’s master plan doesn’t go smooth as he becomes jealous of Jason’s power and that some Elm Street kids (Monica Keena, Katharine Isabelle and Kelly Rowland) begin fighting back against Jason. Can Freddy control Jason long enough to exact his revenge? If not how will the battle play out? Who will reign supreme?

“Freddy vs. Jason” is full of slasher clichés, ridiculous gore, outrageous stunts, and laughter-induced legacy speeches. But all these elements are what these two horror fiends have been delivering for over 20 years. Believe it or not, it has been 23 years since Jason rose from Crystal Lake in 1980. Did we also forget that New Line Cinema is infamously known as “The House that Freddy Built”? What else could one expect when you bring these two characters together?

Gore fans will love the heavyweight fight that concludes the film. There are a lot of scenes that will make fans cheer as they are brought back to previous entries in each series. There are a lot of things to like in this film for slasher fans.

As for Freddy-purists who cherish “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” this seems like a step back for Robert Englund who finished off his horror franchise back in 1994 with “New Nightmare”. That film was a great swansong for Englund and the classic character of Freddy it seems such a shame to bring him back for this brainless camp. Of all the horror characters, Freddy was least likely to be misunderstood. There was no gray area on his character; he was evil to the core. I guess in some ways I am a Freddy purist. He was always my favorite horror heavyweight.

The sad part for me was watching actresses Katharine Isabelle and Monica Keena play such rudimentary roles. They are better actresses than these characters. This isn’t the first horror film for both actresses but the first time where they seem wasted. Does any actress in Hollywood want to be the typical-cliched nude co-ed in a Jason movie?

This film is purely for gore-fans and horror-geeks but for people looking for a great scare it might be wise to wait for “Jeepers Creepers 2” or the remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. This is just one Freddy-fans opinion.

(2 out of 5)

So Says the Soothsayer.

Dean Kish

Trapped in the depths of hell and devoid of all his power, Freddy Krueger (Englund) needed someone to make him known again in his favourite hunting ground of Springwood. Without people knowing he exists, Freddy hasn’t go the power to invade anyone’s dreams, so he discovers someone who can manipulate to do his bidding and scare the people of Elm Street into think that he is killing again. That someone is Crystal Lake mass murderer Jason Voorhees (Kirzinger).

The two titans of the teen horror genre, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees clash on the big screen and boy is it bloody.

The idea of the two horror big hitters from the 80s and 90s coming together had been hinted at, at the end of the ninth Friday 13th movie, Jason goes to Hell in 1993 but nothing had come of it until now. This is a horror fanboy’s dream as the two hack and slash their way through a new group of unsuspecting teenagers and then start on one another. It fact the final twenty-five minute battle is worth the admission price alone.

Robert Englund is on top form as child killer Freddy Krueger. As the Nightmare on Elm Street series progressed, Freddy became more of a comedic horror character that serenaded you with a bevy of one-liners before carving up his next victim. This latest instalment is no exception, as Freddy becomes the comic relief to Jason’s continued brutally. Just an unstoppable, emotionless killing machine, Jason Voorhees isn’t the greatest character in horror history but with his huge machete, he makes short work of the Elm Street teenagers and anyone else who gets in his way. His killings tend to be the more violent and bloody of the pair, but this is what the fans love about the character.

The human cast or potential murder victims are OK, tending to be nothing but killing fodder for the two leads. Monica Keena has a big career in front of her, which you will see when you witness her running from one of the movie maniacs. Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland is OK as Kari and could progress from her motion picture debut. Anyone who has seen the excellent Ginger Snaps will be disappointed with how small Katharine Isabelle’s part is. She is a talented actress who deserves more challenging roles than his.

These are really inconsequential however, as the movie is all about Freddy and Jason. This is probably the most plotted of the Nightmare and Friday 13th movies and the film befits from it. There is actually a reason for the gruesome pair to kill and while the story may be too much of a distraction from the killing for the hardcore fans, it does make the movie a better and more satisfying experience for the casual viewer.

These two goliaths of horror clash magnificently and inject some much-needed fun and gore back into the dying genre. It had all become abit stale and repetitive. There are only so many ways you can kill a teenager and once you had seen one die, you’ve seen them all but watching Freddy and Jason go at it, no holds barred, you just can’t help enjoying the spectacle. You will sit there with a smile on your face as the twosome batter each other senseless and the world explodes around them. Freddy Vs. Jason is popcorn horror at it’s best.

Let’s get ready to Rumble!

Star Rating = * * *

Jamie Kelwick

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