'Friday the 13th' may have been panned by critics when first released but since then it is one of the most famous and influential horror films, the franchise containing one of horror's most iconic villains. The film is popular enough to become a franchise and spawn several sequels of varying quality and generally inferior to the one that started it all of.
Liked the first two 'Friday the 13th' films, despite not exactly considering them great. Had mixed feelings on the third film, but it is one of the more watchable follow-ups. This fourth instalment for me is the second best of the sequels, and although one knows that it was not the 'Final Chapter', the general consensus is that it should have been and that there was no need for the rest. Have to completely agree with this, to me 'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter' was the last average and above of the series.
It may not be a great film, neither were the previous three. The story is paper thin and there is not much new. Again, while actually the best acted film of the whole series, some of the acting is far from what one would call good.
The dialogue, as can be expected (the 'Friday the 13th' films are not to be seen for the script), is awfully crude, cheesy and simplistic, and most of the characters are as dim-witted and underdeveloped as ever (though other sequels did this aspect far worse). There is some unintentional humour here and there that dissipates at times the generally very well done atmosphere.
However, there are three performances that are actually the best of the whole series. Corey Feldman in his prime is appealing, showing that it was a shame that his personal life went as down the toilet in the way that it did since. Crispin Glover is lots of fun in his role and Ted White is one of the scariest Jasons.
Visually, 'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter' has grit and professionalism and the effects and make-up are simply terrific and steal the show even more than Jason. There is plenty of suspense and tension that was missing in the third film, with a return to deaths and moments that are creative and unsettling. The film contains the best ending of the series, certainly of the sequels, truly nightmarish. There is far less padding too.
Overall, decent, one of the series' best and the last one to be average or above. 6/10 Bethany Cox
