Freddy vs. Jason
Dir: Ronny Yu
2003
***
Contrary to popular belief, the conception of Freddy vs. Jason didn't
come from that famous last scene in Jason
Goes to Hell: The Final Friday where we see Freddy's clawed glove pull
Jason underground into the earthy depths of hell. It was in fact an idea first
thought up way back in 1987. The truth is, New Line Cinema (who owned the
Nightmare on Elm Street franchise) and Paramount (who owned the Friday the 13th
series) each wanted to buy out the other's property and make the versus film
their own. They tried a co-op film but ultimately they just couldn't agree.
Sean S. Cunningham, creator and director of the first Friday the 13th wanted
ownership of his original idea and after Jason
takes Manhattan did so badly he was able to purchase it from New Line.
He then set about the versus idea once more and the idea went backwards and
forwards in what is now recognized as one of Hollywood's most difficult productions. Sean S. Cunningham produced two more Jason films to keep his project in
the public eye, after Wes Craven directed A New Nightmare, successfully
relaunching interest in the Elm Street franchise. The battle was teased at the
end of Jason Goes to Hell but it was a further decade before it actually saw a
big screen. After so much hype and so many issues and compromise, you have to
wonder if it was all worth it. The chosen story is a
little disappointing and there are far too many 'humans' involved for
a film that should have just been about the two villains. The battle between
the two that makes it a 'vs' film rather than an 'and' film was rather
wonderful. Everything that comes before is the stuff of substandard horror.
Kelly Rowland leads an unimpressive cast that the film really suffers for. The
real highlight, unsurprisingly, is the performance from horror legend Robert
Englund. It was wonderful to see him in the role of Freddy Kruger that one last
time. Ken Kirzinger took the role of Jason, replacing his friend Kane Hodder.
I'm fans of both men (and have had pleasant conversations with both)
but for my money Kirzinger gives the character the awkward stomp that
really bring him to life. I'm being generous with my rating and if I'm being
honest it is based on the last twenty minutes of the film. It's not a horror
classic but it is fantastically mindless and a little bit of fun.
