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Fansided

Ranking every Friday the 13th film from worst to best

By Wesley Lara

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Actor Derek Mears arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros.' "Friday the 13th" at the Chinese Theater on February 9, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Actor Derek Mears arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros.' "Friday the 13th" at the Chinese Theater on February 9, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) /
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8. Friday the 13th (2009)

Directed by Marcus Nispel

It was about time 10 years ago Friday the 13th was rebooted for a modern audience. It makes complete sense honestly. Even in 2009, the legend of Jason Voorhees was already well-established and the fandom grew into a worldwide phenomenon begging for an update to the franchise.

In 2009, we finally got our wish in the form of a Friday the 13th reboot that ignored all of the events in the series past the first movie, much like last year’s Halloween did with its own franchise. Not a bad idea at all, as long as you have something to add from a modern perspective.

What Friday the 13th (2009) adds is not exactly substantial to the franchise, but it’s not truly a crime against humanity either. The 2009 version is definitely less restricted by the MPAA than many of the early entries were. The kills here are brutal, drawn-out, and not afraid to show off the work of its effects guru.

Derek Mears also adds in a rare humanity to Jason that was sorely missing from the installments beforehand. Much like Ted White from Part IV, Mears gave Jason a spark of life that made his presence feel both real and terrifying, often running towards his victims with an aggressive ferocity that made the kills that much more painful.

In fact, it’s Derek Mears’ insanely committed performance that saves the film from becoming completely forgettable, with a story and characters that somehow manage to feel even more empty and hollow than the ones from previous films. Jared Padalecki does not bring his Supernatural charm here and the most interesting and entertaining characters bite the dust early on, leaving us with only Mears to attach to as he just goes ham on everybody else in one of the most fast-paced entries in the franchise.

Here’s hoping to a new reboot sometime this century.