One jab constantly hurtled at the "Friday the 13th" series is that all of them are the same. Fans of the franchise know that's not true, though there's no denying this first sequel is as close to a remake of the original as you'll find. But for all the similarities to its predecessor, "Friday the 13th Part 2" is a surprisingly good horror film that, dare I say it, improves upon what it followed.
"Friday the 13th Part 2" is, obviously, where the iconic Jason got his first real start. And it was a humble start. Not the mindless zombie of the latter films, the Jason here lives in a cobbled-together shack in the middle of the woods, his mom's decapitated head on candle-lit display. This look into the inner sanctuary of Jason is quite fascinating, and probably tells us more about his personality than anything that has come since. Here he's not so much evil, but a deranged loner out to avenge his beloved mother's murder.
And Jason gets that chance when a fresh crop of horny teens prepare to open a new camp not far from his old stomping grounds at Camp Crystal Lake. Consisting of another group of no-names, these would-be counselors are surprisingly well-defined and real. Director Steve Miner, who would go on to direct "Part III," had said he wanted to give his characters more depth and ensure the film had strength even without Jason's presence. In that he succeeded. In too many horror films, the audience is left impatiently waiting for the killer to show up. Here, the story is engaging enough that the build-up is not a chore.
The movie does liven up, of course, once Jason arrives. Miner chose to take the "less is more" approach to horror, with Mr. Voorhees making relatively few appearances. This generally works well, though a bit more Jason wouldn't have hurt. Jason's "bag over the head" get-up can't hold a candle to the hockey mask that would follow, but it does serve its purpose of cloaking the killer in an aura of mystery and, more importantly, building the suspense for the moment when it finally does come off.
"Friday the 13th Part 2" is not all that scary or thrilling, but it is a fun little horror film that should please those for whom it was intended.
"Friday the 13th Part 2" is, obviously, where the iconic Jason got his first real start. And it was a humble start. Not the mindless zombie of the latter films, the Jason here lives in a cobbled-together shack in the middle of the woods, his mom's decapitated head on candle-lit display. This look into the inner sanctuary of Jason is quite fascinating, and probably tells us more about his personality than anything that has come since. Here he's not so much evil, but a deranged loner out to avenge his beloved mother's murder.
And Jason gets that chance when a fresh crop of horny teens prepare to open a new camp not far from his old stomping grounds at Camp Crystal Lake. Consisting of another group of no-names, these would-be counselors are surprisingly well-defined and real. Director Steve Miner, who would go on to direct "Part III," had said he wanted to give his characters more depth and ensure the film had strength even without Jason's presence. In that he succeeded. In too many horror films, the audience is left impatiently waiting for the killer to show up. Here, the story is engaging enough that the build-up is not a chore.
The movie does liven up, of course, once Jason arrives. Miner chose to take the "less is more" approach to horror, with Mr. Voorhees making relatively few appearances. This generally works well, though a bit more Jason wouldn't have hurt. Jason's "bag over the head" get-up can't hold a candle to the hockey mask that would follow, but it does serve its purpose of cloaking the killer in an aura of mystery and, more importantly, building the suspense for the moment when it finally does come off.
"Friday the 13th Part 2" is not all that scary or thrilling, but it is a fun little horror film that should please those for whom it was intended.