Skip to content
- Cert:
- Running time: 93 minutes
- Year: 2002
- Released: 19th July 2002
- Widescreen Ratio: 1.85:1
- Rating: 7/10
Director:
- James Isaac
(House 3)
Cast:
- Jason Voorhees: Kane Hodder
Rowan: Lexa Doig
Sgt. Brodski: Peter Mensah
Professor Lowe: Jonathan Potts
Kay-Em 14: Lisa Ryder
Sgt. Marcus: Markus Parilo
Pvt. Johnson: Jeff Geddis
Azrael: Dov Tiefenbach
Janessa: Melyssa Ade
Fat Lou: Boyd Banks
Dr. Wimmer : David Cronenberg
There’s a word that encapsulates perfectly the tone and content of this film.It’s not a word that one associates with Hollywood movies very oftenanymore, and it’s certainly not a word I was expecting to use when writinga review of Friday the 13th Part 10, given that the original was no prize,the second was terrible and that I’d body swerved parts 3 thru 9entirely. What is this word? Believe it or not, the word is : fun. That’sright, this movie is fun. In fact, it’s an absolute treat from start tofinish.
Don’t believe me? Then you should go and watch this film after a couple ofbeers, preferably on a Friday or Saturday night with a lively crowd – it’sa laugh riot. You see, the makers have completely abandoned all pretencethat Jason is scary, and instead have upped the comedy and theridiculousness of the slaughterings. To wit: a lab assistant gets her facefrozen in liquid nitrogen and smashed against the counter ; a soldier isimpaled on a giant screw (!), to the obvious accompaniment “he’s screwed”;and there’s one involving sleeping bags that I won’t spoil for you, butrest assured it’s one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a movie thisyear. There are least a couple more laugh out loud moments, as well asnumerous cheesy lines that don’t always work – but at least they’retrying.
The actual plot is of little relevance, but basically they’ve contrived tomove a bunch of nubile young women into outer space in the year 2455.Jason, imprisoned in our near future at the Crystal Lake Research Facility,goes on one of his beloved rampages (slaughtering, amongst others, DavidCronenberg in a nice cameo) and is cryogenically frozen along with the onlysurvivor, Rowan. She is a scientist who tried to warn her colleagues of thedangers of the now indestructible Jason, whereas they were more interestedin studying him and, later, having their innards aired by him.
Four and a half centuries later, Jason and Rowan are discovered by aspaceship full of science students. Quite why no-one from their own timemanaged to find the research facility is never fully explained, but not toworry. Back on the ship, after they’re popped in the micro for 4 to 5minutes on defrost setting, the real fun can begin. Then it’s just a caseof guessing who’s going to be next to buy it and who’s going to make itthrough to the end with their head still attached to their neck. Along theway, elements (and sometimes entire scenes) ofAliensare ripped off withglee. One of the characters even finds time to turn into a female versionof Bruce Campbell’s character from Army of Darkness – priceless.
The acting is no better or worse than it needs to be, with the likes ofPeter Mensah and Lisa Ryder standing out, mostly because they get the best lines towork with – and therefore the biggest laughs. As mentioned previously, thescript is part clever, part idiotic and fully tongue in cheek. Theproduction values are decent and the special effects above average.
You’re still not convinced, are you? You’re thinking, “It’s Friday the13th for God’s sake.” Before seeing it for myself, I’d have been the firstto agree with you, especially after theResident Evilfiasco. The thing is, this is the film Resident Evil could and should have been if it had adirector with a little imagination and had taken itself a lot lessseriously. Oh, and if it wasn’t shite.
Review copyright © Paul Greenwood, 2002.E-mail Paul Greenwood
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.