Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING

"Jason" goes on the rampage
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING (1985). Director: Danny Steinmann.

Tommy Jarvis, the boy (Corey Feldman) who killed Jason Voorhees at the end of Final Chapter, is now a handsome teen (John Shepherd) who is still traumatized by the events of the past. Tommy is placed in the Pinehurst Youth Development Center, with other troubled teens. One of these teens, unfortunately, takes an ax to one of the other boys, killing him. This is only the start of a massacre in which anyone and everyone in town seems like a potential victim. This is the only Friday film in which the actual killer is not Jason Vorhees, but there's a host of suspects as the body count rises and rises. The acting isn't bad, although "Junior" and his mother are a little over the top. The film is gruesome enough but not that graphic; in fact it's strange that after one man takes an ax to the head in his car, there isn't a drop of blood to be seen. For most of its length, the movie completely lacks pacing and suspense, but as usual, the climax is fairly exciting and effective. Although many Friday fans were outraged that Jason doesn't actually appear in the film except in flashbacks, I think the movie gets points for trying to vary the formula. Miguel A., Nunez Jr,. offers a flavorful performance as "Demon," and Shavar Ross is appealing as his younger brother, Reggie. Corey Parker is also in the cast as an early victim.

Verdict: Not exactly a new beginning, but there were more to come. **1/2.

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