In celebration of Friday the 13th, The Daily Texan ranked the iconic franchise’s 12 movies, dissecting Jason’s escapades at Camp Crystal Lake, Manhattan and even outer space.
- Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
A horror franchise will inevitably dip its toes into 3D, and that’s exactly what this third entry did — rather unsuccessfully. Too much of the plot gets sidelined in favor of creating subpar 3D effects.
- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Often deemed the worst of the franchise, “Jason Takes Manhattan” remains overly hated. It’s not a great movie by any means, but audiences looking for a silly slasher can count on this entry.
- Friday the 13th (1980)
The original “Friday the 13th,” while iconic, feels like a film student movie rather than one for general audiences. At its best, it will have audiences sitting on the edge of their seats admiring gore, but the majority of the film seems dedicated to nothingness like a neorealist film.
- Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
“Part II” feels like a better developed part I. The gore remains the same, but the characters and story feel much more condensed, allowing for the slasher elements to come to the forefront.
- Jason X (2002)
Going to space usually spells franchise fatigue for a horror villain, and that remains true in this entry. The humor feels stuck in the early 2000s and the sci-fi elements come off as bland, but the goofy performances hold it up as a fun watch.
- Friday the 13th (2009)
Horror remakes typically fall flat, but this reboot came as a much needed refresh for the franchise. It’s the most violent and gory of the entire series, and, for once, audiences will feel true terror at Jason rather than laughing at his insanity.
- Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
This flick unsuccessfully attempts to rewrite Jason Voorhees’ lore. With the gore cut from the theatrical version, the director’s cut better suits gorehounds wanting more from their “Friday the 13th” films.
- Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
At the time, this entry sadly didn’t deliver on the anticipation it built by pitting two horror titans against one another. Over the years, horror fans prove to harbor more appreciation for this film and its iconic third act fight choreography.
- Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Despite receiving hate, “The New Blood” reached cult status over the years. This film stands as the first entry to feature the legendary Kane Hodder, whose stunt work brings the fight sequences with Jason to new heights.
- Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
One of the most controversial of the franchise, this movie comes off more as a horror-comedy-mystery than a real slasher, but the kills and quips deliver enough to make audiences keel over in fits of laughter.
- Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
“Part VI” feels meta and comedic in ways no other entry does. Alice Cooper made a song in honor of the movie, Jason has a James Bond-style intro for the title card and so many characters break the fourth wall, making it a solid entrypoint to the franchise.
- Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Arguably the most iconic slasher of the horror genre, “The Final Chapter” draws on everything fans love. Tom Savini’s gore covers the film in bright red, Jason acts incredibly menacing and the characters feel engaging and easy to care about. When someone mentions slasher movies, it’s inevitable that “The Final Chapter” will be brought into the conversation.
