Friday the 13th: The Ranking – From Worst to Best
Minor Spoilers ahead
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Not only considered a low point in the series, Jason Takes Manhattan is the worst film. The idea of Jason slashing his way through the big apple is certainly a fun one. However, due to budgets, the bulk of the movie takes place on a boat (which is why fans dub this one Jason Takes the Love Boat). When we finally get off the boat, we only get a small percentage of actual New York with the rest being a combination of Los Angeles and Vancouver. It’s worth noting that despite turning a small profit it has the sad designation of being Friday with the lowest box office returns.
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
Let’s be real, A New Beginning is not a good movie. The whole faux-Jason thing is also something that fans have long fumed about. Having said that, I would say it certainly has enough memorable moments that make it still fairly enjoyable. There are enough campy moments that make me think that the filmmakers were at least trying to have some fun with the series. Not to mention the amazing Miguel A. Núñez Jr, in a small but meme worthy moment.
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
This very nearly made it higher on the list. I think that it didn’t because I will at least give the filmmakers credit for trying to revamp the Friday the 13th lore. It also has some wonderfully gonzo moments not to mention an amazing cold open. Still, the movie has a messy plot and the entire-body swapping aspect means that the lumbering Jason is only in a tiny bit of the movie.
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Fans have dubbed this Jason Vs. Carrie and you know what? I have quite a soft spot for this entry. It’s always fun when filmmakers try to mix up the series. Here I actually think the addition of a character with super-human powers make for an interesting situation. It’s also the first time that Kane Hodder would don the iconic mask. Hodder to date has played Jason the most and is widely considered the best.
Friday the 13th Remake (2009)
I wasn’t a fan of the remake when I first saw it in theaters. I think that I was just tired of remakes at that point and probably unfairly lumped this into the mountains of others. Later on, I re-watched, and I have to say that despite some issues, it’s actually extremely well made. There are some aspects of the film that I feel are weak but overall, it takes things in an interesting direction. Also, the filmmakers have a nice level of self-awareness. The hockey scene with Jason is maybe one of my favorite scenes of the series. Not to mention it has one of the best opening scenes since Jason Goes to Hell.
Top Five!
Jason X (2001)
Jason X is a hotly debated film in the series. But you know what? I think it’s the perfect blend of camp horror and pulpy sci-fi. Clearly the film is in on its own joke and I think that’s what saves the film ultimately. As always, I root for filmmakers that try to re-tool the series which was always paper thin to begin with. (Which isn’t a bad thing).
Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
I’m just going to say it. Friday the 13th Part III doesn’t nearly get the love it deserves. The movie hits you with a Friday the 13th disco theme and things only get better from there. The movie is a lean and incredibly fast-paced film, and the 3D gimmick doesn’t really get in the way. Now couple this with some great kills not to mention Jason donning the iconic hockey mask for the first time, and you got a pretty awesome movie.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
The Final Chapter is considered by many fans as the best entry period. I agree it’s good, but I don’t know if I would actually say it’s my favorite. TFC has some amazing work by Tom Savini and Ted White does a great job as Jason. Speaking of cast, this movie has Crispin Glover doing his infamous dance not to mention a young Corey Feldman. Though panned by critics it made over thirty-million on a scant two-million budget.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Here it is. The OG entry. By no means the first slasher (not even close), the movie earns a place in horror history with being a smash hit that spawned not only countless sequels but a tidal wave of slashers. In fact, I would say that the movie literally changed the cinematic landscape and the marketability of horror films. Made on a micro budget of five-hundred thousand, the movie made nearly six-million at the box office and is still generating money in merchandise and home video. When taken as a single film and not a franchise the movie is brilliant in how it plays with gender roles, and further helped cement the final girl trope that was seen previously with films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Black Christmas (1974) and Halloween (1978). Iconic and cannot be overstated how much of a game changer it was.
Friday the 13th Part II: (1982)
Friday the 13th Part II along with Halloween II (1981) are in my humble opinion, brilliant sequels. Part II does what any good sequel does, which is expand upon the previous film in interesting ways. After all, Jason wasn’t the killer in Part 1, and this is the first entry where Jason is a fully formed deformed character. This alone warrants this ranking but I think that the plot is well written and clips along at a nice pace. It also has an intentional sense of humor which is always great. It also has some great kills that notably cribs from one of the OG slashers, Bava’s A Bay of Blood (1971).
Friday the 13th: Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
And the top spot has to go to Jason Lives. The movie takes a notably more self-aware approach which fans will either love or hate. Over the years, the movie has rightly gained a pretty big following amongst Jason fans and did smart meta-horror over years before New Nightmare (1994) and Scream (1996). It is also littered with great easter eggs, inside jokes and references that make it a fun re-watch. Though I think Hodder is the best Jason, C.J Graham is certainly high on my list of actors who donned the famous mask. Jason Live’s bloody tongue is planted firmly in cheek, and the film is a refreshing high point for the series.
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.
