In 2003, director Marcus Nispel made a lasting impression on horror fans with his box-office-topping remake The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Six years later, he turned his camera to another slasher icon, none other than the hulking masked killer Jason Voorhees, in his gore-soaked remake of Friday the 13th.

A group of oblivious teenagers choose Camp Crystal Lake as the destination for a weekend getaway. Among them, the young Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki, Supernatural) is not looking for fun and frolics, but for his sister Whitney who disappeared around the lake six weeks earlier. The trip turns into a waking nightmare as the bloodthirsty Jason emerges from the shadows, wielding a deadly machete and out for blood. Cut off from civilization, these youths discover too late that Crystal Lake bears the scars of a violent past as they uncover the terrifying events that spurred the masked killer’s quest for violent vengeance.

Nispel’s taut direction and the stunning cinematography by Daniel Pearl – whose credits include the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre as well as the remake – bring a fresh and terrifying new perspective to the infamous hockey-masked maniac, sure to bring chills and thrills to even hardened horror veterans!

For thoughts on Friday the 13th (2009), please check out my colleagues’ op-ed here and here.

Video Quality

Arrow Video presents Friday the 13th (2009) with an impressive 2160p transfer in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio remastered in 4K resolution by Arrow Video and graded in 4K HDR10/Dolby Vision. This two-disc set offers both the Theatrical Cut and the extended Killer Cut in 4K UHD. This film was previously released by Warner Bros. on Blu-Ray in 2009, which was fine for the time but is rendered obsolete with this new presentation. The uptick to 4K resolution is a notable benefit to his feature that is topped off with a terrific encode. With a film as visually distinct and unsparing as this one, you want it to look the best it possibly can. The degree of discrete detail and clarity on display is unbelievable as you experience every disgusting gore effect and ridges of the clothing and production design.

One of the most vital aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for pinpoint color output that takes this moody film and reveals new information. The greatest benefit to this release is the handling of the contrast. Black levels are exceptionally deep even in the tunnels with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights show no indication of blooming. While there is plenty of action in the bright sunlight, this feature lives in darkness much of the time. Thanks to this release, everything is nicely suffused to immerse you in this world. This world feels tactile and three-dimensional thanks to the tremendous depth of field. This transfer shows nothing in the way of damage or digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a first-rate effort from the team at Arrow Video.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a mighty DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures this horrific narrative with the necessary strength and precision. The sound design is just as important to the movie as the vicious visuals, and this track translates it with impeccable skill. The film is replete with environmental effects that engage the surround speakers making you feel as if you are being stalked by the horror icon. The movie showcases numerous violent moments that put the low end to work.

The track has an impeccable sense of directionality with sounds always emanating from the appropriate channels. Dialogue comes through clearly in the front channel without being overshadowed by any sound effects or the score. The intense score and certain songs establish the mood of this story which fills the room effectively. There are no issues with fidelity or damage to the track. This audio presentation earns top marks from Arrow Video. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Friday the 13th (2009) includes a multi-page booklet featuring new writing on the film by Matt Konopka and Alexandra West. This provides great insight into the film and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The release also comes with a double-sided fold-out poster and a Greetings from Crystal Lake Postcard. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Theatrical Cut (1:37:14) and Killer Cut (1:45:30)

Audio Commentary: Three new very informative and entertaining commentary tracks are provided which explore the film from a personal perspective with some of the creative figures and an analytical angle with the film critics. Through these tracks, we learn about the background of the production, the legacy of the material, the background of the performers, the easter eggs in the film, the production design and special effects, the archetypes of the characters, and so much more that gets covered quite thoroughly throughout this track.

- Audio Commentary #1 (Theatrical Cut): Director Marcus Nispel

- Audio Commentary #2 (Theatrical Cut): Writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon

- Audio Commentary #3 (Killer Cut): Film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson

Interviews

- Interview with Marcus Nispel: A new 29-minute interview with the director who discusses what drew him to this material, how he upset some fans with his interpretation of the character, the performance of Derek Mears, the shooting locations, losing an actress during production, and more.

- Interview with Mark Swift and Damian Shannon: A new 37-minute interview with the writers who discuss coming on board the project, the balance of wanting the classic hockey mask and the bag, playing with the “rules” of the franchise, the original plans for a sequel, and more.

- Interview with Daniel Pearl: A new 23-minute interview with the cinematographer in which he discusses his early interest in photography, getting involved with this project, some of his favorite shots in the film, the art of capturing faces, balancing grittiness with beauty, and more.

A Killer New Beginning: A nearly 19-minute visual essay from film critic Matt Donato that explores how remakes have always been a part of horror filmmaking, the spate of remakes in the 2000s, how this remake improves on the original films, the direction of Marcus Nispel, and more.

Archive Extras

- Excerpts From Terror Trivia Track: A 43-minute collection of interviews from a previous picture-in-picture track in which the cast and creative team discuss various aspects of the film.

- The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees: A nearly 12-minute featurette in which the cast and crew reflect on the decision to revive this franchise and what they wanted to accomplish.

- Hacking Back / Slashing Forward: Another 12-minute piece that looks back at the franchise and how this installment pushes things forward.

- The 7 Best Kills: A 23-minute exploration of how they pulled off some of the most exciting kills in the film.

- Deleted Scenes: An eight-minute selection of unused footage is provided.

Promo Materials

- Teaser (1:28)

- Trailer (2:25)

- TV Spots (6:34)

- Electronic Press Kit (35:10)

- Image Gallery

Final Thoughts

Friday the 13th (2009) is a vicious reboot of an iconic franchise that condenses the lore of our favorite hockey mask-wearing horror icon while ratcheting up the brutality of the kills. The stock characters appear even more thinly defined than normal, but you get enough of their ridiculous personalities to delight in their unsparing demise. This version of Jason is very spry and quick to dispatch a death blow rather than indulging in a slow build of tension. It is a respectable entry into the overall franchise even if it doesn’t quite reach the peak. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a nice balance of new and archival special features. If you love this series, you could not ask for a better release. Recommended

Friday the 13th (2009) will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on September 17, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.