Jason X R1 DVD

On By In Reviewss

Traveta reviews

Jason X
Distributed by
New Line Home Video

    Cover

  • Cert: R
  • Cat.no: N5628
  • Running time: 93 minutes
  • Year: 2002
  • Pressing: 2002
  • Region(s): 1, NTSC
  • Chapters: 26
  • Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
  • Languages: English
  • Subtitles: English
  • Widescreen: 1.85:1
  • 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
  • Macrovision: No
  • Disc Format: DVD 9
  • Price: $26.98
  • Extras:Audio Commentary, The Many Lives of Jason Voorhees, By Any MeansNecessary: The Making of Jason X, Jump to a Death, Theatrical Trailer.

    Director:

      Jim Isaac

Screenplay:

    Todd Farmer

Cast:

    Jason/Uber Jason: Kane Hodder
    Rowan: Lexa Doig
    Kay-Em 14: Lisa Ryder
    Azrael: Dow Tiefenbach
    Janessa: Melyssa Ade
    Briggs: Dylan Bierk
    Kinsa: Melody Johnson

We all knew it would happen.After the supposedly“Final Friday”Jason has finally made the trip that every slasher makes eventually: space.

Don’t even get me started about Leprachaun in Space or Hellraiser‘slittle outing. The only slashers I cannot see making the journey wouldbe Michael Myers and the Scream killers. Freddy would have probably evenmade it eventually. Not in a million years I would have imagined an ideaas ridiculous as Jason going to space. But the filmmakers knew this (asrevealed in the commentary) and took the extra strides to make it makesense in a way. The results are decent, not as bad as it could have beenand better than it should have been.

First thing before you watch these types of films is you have to analyzethe genre. After you realize there is really not much to it then you’llbe fine. I made this mistake when I saw it at the cinema on opening dayon April 26th, I actually expected it to be smart and good film. Now,after watching the DVD almost 5 months later I know what to expect, afun movie that isn’t great but is still decent on some level. Being thefirst Friday flick I’ve seen at theaters this was a better viewing athome (I hope I can say that about Freddy vs. Jason next year).

Being delayed for nearly three years I was expecting the worst. Andrightfully so, I got what I expected. But with a DVD as good as thisit’s hard not to like it the second time around. Jason X tells arelatively simple story. Jason has been captured and is being held atthe Crystal Lake Research Center (Crystal Lake has a research center?Give me a break). He’s chained and awaiting cryogenic containment. It islearned that they have tried to execute him in every way possible (Ithought after they unsuccessfuly blew him up inJason Goes to Hellthey would have realized he can’t be stopped). While waiting, Jason escapesand kills seven guards (28 total kills at the end of the movie by theway). A researcher by the name of Rowan is the only one left when Jasonescapes. She lures him to the cryogenic chamber and shoves him in. Likethe typical sterotype, she approaches the chamber and is stabbed in thegut. The cryogenics leak and seal them both inside.

Four hundred years later, on a now-dead Earth, a college class stumblesupon Jason and Rowan. They take them both back aboard. Rowan is revivedand when they’re told not to revive Jason, surprise surprise, he’s up andkilling again! Now Jason must hunt down everyone on the ship and killthem one by one as always.

With the exception of some truly bad lines (a girl is being sucked intospace and her only reply: “This sucks on so many levels!”) the film isenjoyable in that cheesy 60s horror film sense. You’re not going to findOscar worthy material here or anything but you’ll be hard pressed tofind a more enjoyable slasher these days. And yes I know I said Jason Xwas worse thanRollerballbut I am here by expunging my review of thatfilm from any future references. In other words, my film content scorefor Rollerball was a 4, change that to a 2 if you read it.

The video presentation is typical New Line: great. Every piece of filmwas transfered to a digital source and redone in the fashion of OBrother, Where Art Thou?. So it should be no suprise at how good itlooks. Presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen, blacks are very solid,colors are sharp and bold. Fleshtones and enviroments have a cold feelbut this was meant to be, the digital process gives it the impression ofbeing a big budget film rather than a 10 million feature. Pixelizationand other compression artifacts are nowhere to be seen and edgeenhancement is nilch. This is as good as the transfer on Blade II and Ididn’t think that could ever be topped. But another digital film to DVDby the names of Star Wars-Episode II: Attack of the Clones is gettingsome good marks already…

And just as good as the presentation, the sound quality pulls out allthe stops. Although I do not care for the soundtrack, (it soundscartoony in a way), the composer was also the same for Jason Goes toHell, the sound is great. Offered in Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround2.0, and DTS 5.1 (let’s hear if for New Line for being a reliable studiofor DTS). The track is agressive and loud, especially during the fightbetween Kay-Em and Uber Jason.

New Line’s presentation puts Paramount’s Friday the 13th discs to shame.Over here in Region 1, Paramount’s discs are jokes. Bad transfers, badsound, and a trailer if you’re lucky. While not bursting at the seemsthe extras are good. Friday fans finally have a DVD to be proud of.Here’s how it stacks up:

  • Audio Commentary:This track features director Jim Isaac, producerSean Cunningham, and writer Todd Farmer. This is a well done track andeven more appreciated are the conversations regarding Freddy vs. Jason.Would have been cool to see Jason himself, Kane Hodder, present but thisis a great track nonetheless.
  • By Any Means Necessary: The Making of Jason X:Finally a good making-of! Most making-ofs these days feature just a bunch of clips andactors telling you what the story is about but not this one. Greatdetail is explained in the film to digital process and numerous otherfactors are explored. This runs 16 minutes and is presented inanamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen.
  • The Many Lives of Jason Voorhees:Now this is great. I would recommendthe disc for this documentary alone. Jason’s film history is presentedhere in great detail, from the first complaints of the film to themaking of the pop culture icon. Interviews with Kane Hodder, SeanCunningham, the two guys from American Movie, and more make this a greatsupplement. Runs 29 minutes and is presented in anamorphic 1.85:1widescreen.
  • Jump to a Death:Similar to what New Line did back in 1998 for theMortal Kombat Annihilation disc (I’ll review that if I ever get aroundto it like I said). This features every single death, even theuninteresting ones (like the sucks on all levels death) but this is agood concept. Video presentation is still great by the way.
  • Theatrical Trailer:Presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen. This isa hastily made trailer and a poor one at that.

Definitely puts the Paramount discs to shame huh?

Jason X is divided into 26 chapters. Packaging is amaray and featuresthe theatrical poster as it’s cover (something I wish every studio woulddo). Animated menus featuring that bad soundtrack are here but are donewell.

Overall, this is a decent movie tha is pretty fun on a brainless cheesylevel. This is a fun movie made even better with a great DVDpresentation. Oh and you can also pick up the newly releasedJason Goes to Hellfor cheap when you get this one.

FILM CONTENT
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS


OVERALL
Review copyright © Traveta, 2002.

EmailTraveta

Loading…

No related posts.