Jason Voorhees and his mother slashed their way into the echelons of horror with the original Friday the 13th. The crux of Part II in the Friday series derives from the ending of the first. Considering Jason was established as dead in the first - how has he come back, as a grown adult, to terrorize a whole new generation? The Horror and Slasher genres, by default, require an immediate of disbelief to make the audience more susceptible to the scary elements within. Friday the 13th: Part II stretches this filmmaker/audience pact with this new twist of Jason's existence; on the other hand it amps up the speed, body count and tension to an extent that it feels tighter and more thrilling.
Does different mean better in this case?
Behold the sheer volume of directors and critics who loathe the new generation of filmmakers for their quick cutting music video style. Forgive the pun, but in a slasher film quick cuts are an undeniable advantage in the more frantic action scenes. However, where the first Friday succeeded was in its use of long tracking shots and the build-up which made the eventual pay-off of gore all the more worthwhile. It doesn't seem right that the sequel of the original be such a different animal that a comparison is an injustice to both - but that's the way it is here. Where Friday the 13th succeeded, Part II departed.
It's five years since the horrible events of the last massacre at "Camp Blood", as it's ominously called in town. To explain the plot for a movie such as Friday the 13th: Part II one finds it easier to do so with short stuttered sentences consisting of one word.
Camp. Sex. Frivolity. Death.
Crystal Lake tales have a tendency of spinning wildly out of control. If the first was all about the build-up, Part II is all about the immediate pay-off.
Ccch chh chh chh - cah cah cah cah. Or however you want to spell the scary sounds Friday the 13th has become known for. Chapters in a series such as this one become more about fulfilling fan expectations than anything else. Friday the 13th does its part to create a variety of grisly murders - some inspired and others just your typical dash to slash. The biggest gripe to be found here is that despite its faster structure it is, almost point for point, the first with a faster tempo. Nothing more, nothing less.
Bonus Features
Friday's Legacy: Horror Conventions
This featurette gives a rather sentimental nod to all the fans of the series and their loyal efforts to the actors, directors and producers who've made it possible.
Insider "Crystal Lake Memories"
Giving voice to the concern that Friday the 13th: Part II too closely resembles a faster version of the original this interview examines all of the thinking that followed the original into the sequel. How did the Directors explain Jason Voorhees's resurrection? The questions posed and answered here make for a compelling featurette that anyone who has just watched the first two films back to back will want to watch.
Lost Tales from Camp Blood: Part 2
This is where I find the extra features to be somewhat bad. This amateurish tribute to the film was gut-wrenchingly hard for me to endure - but the less picky fans might find it an honorable effort. I for one did not.
Jason Forever
All of the men who have donned the disfigured prosthetic mask of Jason Voorhees make up a panel and field questions from the fans at a horror convention. Really cool to watch, the featurette allows for fun banter between the generations of Jason and some fun questions from the crowd. Interesting for everyone.
Trailer
Do we need to say more on this one?
For the fans of the series, the DVD has enough new featurettes that you might want to consider dropping the coin to see ‘em. They're pretty good, even by a non-fan standard.
"Friday the 13th: Part II - Deluxe Edition" is on sale February 3, 2009 and is rated R. Horror. Directed by Steve Miner. Written by Ron Kurz. Starring Adrienne King, Amy Steel, Betsy Palmer, John Furey, Kirsten Baker, Walt Gorney, Warrington Gillette.
