Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

Acting:		Partying:		Girls:
Blood:		Language:		Gore:
Violence:		Humor:		Sexuality:
Torture:		Predictability:		Overall:

My stance on this much-hyped, highly successful but critically panned
monster mash is fairly controversial. Not only do I think it's one of
the better moves in either of the represented franchises, but I think
it's one of the better horror films of this decade. A darkly comic
update of old fashion monster rallies, Ronny Yu's film is the "junk
culture" film at its finest. Visually stunning, fast paced, and
dripping with subtext.

Early on in the movie, we're greeted by our first image of Jason
Voorhees as he stalks a busty camper in a hellish version of Crystal
Lake. Jason stomps out of a foggy scene like Frankenstein's Monster.
Indeed, Karloff's monster never had such an entrance, nor any other
version of the creature. It's a grand intro you wish ol' bolt neck
would have had. And it cements Jason as a new cultural totem, soaking
up all of our left over Frankenstein energy.

Ken Kirzinger who plays Jason in this film is of course taking over
for fan favorite Kane Hodder. It's a disservice to Kirzinger to
compare him to Hodder, as he created a lot of the body language that
now belongs to the Jason character. He does a solid job taking over
for Hodder, teaming with Yu and the wonderful make-up effects to
create the right combo of menace and pathos.

Of course, returning to the role that made him famous is Robert
Englund as Freddy Krueger. Similar to how Jason has become a modern
Frankenstein, Freddy is the modern Dracula. He is a sexual predator
who manipulates the less intelligent monster. Indeed, here we have a
clash of child abuser and abused child. And, in due course, Krueger is
nastier here than he's been in years - wearing his pedophilia on his
sleeve. Englund finally strikes the right cord between the nightmare
Freddy began as and the vaudeville showman he became. You can tell
he's having a ball here where he could have put in a hacky performance
and collected a large paycheck.

The sexualized violence isn't limited to Freddy though. In one of the
movie/s best show pieces, a dim witted jock is basically raped by
Jason's machete - in a bed, no less. One has to wonder how they got
that one by the ratings board.

Having brought up that point, let's talk ...

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