Jason’s Comin’ Atcha Again!
by Ben Bussey
In news that should come as no surprise to anyone, Shock Till You Drop reports today that the next installment in the Friday the 13th series is to be in 3-D. Given that the next outings for Michael Myers, Leatherface, Pinhead and Jigsaw (or whoever it is laying the traps in Saw these days – I tuned out after the second one) are all set to have us slipping on the funky glasses and ducking as implements of death come flying in our faces, it’s no great shocker that Jason Voorhees should be following suit. The key difference, of course, is that unlike the rest Jason’s already been there back in Friday the 13th Part 3 – which UK readers should be aware is being broadcast in its original format this coming Friday night on Channel 4 as part of their week of 3-D programming. Well, they call it a week of programming; really it’s Friday the 13th 3, Flesh For Frankenstein and a couple of random shows, but hey, I’m not complaining. At last, those of us who never had the chance to see it on the big screen will get to see Jason’s first stint behind the hockey mask the way it was orignally intended.
As should be clear from my review, I felt Marcus Nispel’s series rebooter left a great deal to be desired, and I can’t pretend I hold out much hope for the next installment given that Platinum Dunes are still at the reigns, and they have seen fit to once more hand scripting duties to Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. (I maintain Freddy Vs Jason could have been a classic if someone had simply sat those writers down and said, “excuse me, this movie is meant to be about Freddy and Jason beating the shit out of each other. Less of the whining unsympathetic teenagers please.”) But hey, maybe the extra dimension novelty could be just what the doctor ordered. As Mark Kermode recently commented on the BBC’s Culture Show, 3-D is far and away most appropriate for trash, and as such it’s most definitely suited to Friday the 13th. Who knows, maybe it might have saved this year’s entry from being so disappointing, if only for the spectacle of that particular scene with Julianna Guill bouncing off the screen…
Still no director confirmed for what we’re still assuming will be called Friday the 13th Part 2, but here’s hoping that whoever’s in line for the job is looking closely at Steve Miner’s Part 3 and contemplating the proper use of eyeballs, harpoons, yo-yos and washing poles. By then, of course, we will at last have had Avatar and presumably made the final decision as to whether or not the new wave of 3-D is just another flash in the pan or truly the future of the medium.
Editors Note: Should this project be given a final studio green light you can look for this next installment to hit theaters next August 13th, which yes… is a Friday.
