(Photo by Paramount Pictures)
Strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, language and drug material – all involving teens. Or, at least, 30-year-olds pretending to be teens.
Welcome to Crystal Lake, where the canoes are creaky, the dippin’ is skinny, and the camp activities are to die for. Since 1980, the shah of slashers, Jason Voorhees, has been terrorizing any who are unlucky enough to reach its shores. His murderous method? Anything he can get his naughty paws on, be it machete, harpoon gun, or sleeping bag. The original Friday the 13th was one of those no-budget grubby horror flicks with massive returns, secure among the likes of Halloween and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The franchise it spawned is a shining, bloody emblem of the golden age of slasher movies, though criticsgrew less appreciative of the series’ increasingly ludicrous carnage. But theFriday franchise’s memorable soundtrack, frequently tongue-in-cheek atmosphere, and iconic star has kept it in the horror conversation for decades, carrying audiences though 3-D (the third Friday, where Jason first dons the hockey mask), deep space (Jason X), celebrity death matches (Freddy vs. Jason), and utter meltdowns (Jason Goes to Hell).
Wherever this wacky world may take Jason next (therapy, perhaps?), Rotten Tomatoes will be here with this list of every Friday the 13th movie ranked by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#1
Friday the 13th (1980) 66%
#1
Adjusted Score: 71807%
Critics Consensus: Rather quaint by today's standards, Friday the 13th still has its share of bloody surprises and a '70s-holdover aesthetic to slightly compel.
Synopsis: Crystal Lake's history of murder doesn't deter counselors from setting up a summer camp in the woodsy area. Superstitious locals... [More]
Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram
Directed By: Sean S. Cunningham
#2
Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) 53%
#2
Adjusted Score: 55465%
Critics Consensus: Friday the 13th: Part VI - Jason Lives indeed brings back ol' Vorhees, along with a sense of serviceable braindead fun.
Synopsis: Years ago, Tommy Jarvis (Thom Mathews) killed infamous hockey-masked murderer Jason Voorhees (C.J. Graham), and the intensity of the experience... [More]
Starring: Thom Mathews, Jennifer Cooke, Ron Palillo, David Kagen
Directed By: Tom McLoughlin
#3
Freddy vs. Jason (2003) 42%
#3
Adjusted Score: 47578%
Critics Consensus: Fans of the two horror franchises will enjoy this showdown. But for everyone else, it's the same old slice and dice.
Synopsis: Two horror icons face off in this supernatural movie. Disfigured serial killer Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), who attacks his victims... [More]
Starring: Robert Englund, Ken Kirzinger, Monica Keena, Jason Ritter
#4
Friday the 13th Part VII -- The New Blood (1988) 33%
#4
Adjusted Score: 34727%
Critics Consensus: As lumbering and bereft of conscious thought as its unstoppable star, Friday the 13th Part VII - The New Blood finds the franchise in desperate need of the title ingredient.
Synopsis: Years after the strange drowning death of her father, Tina Shepard (Lar Park Lincoln) returns to the site of his... [More]
Starring: Lar Park-Lincoln, Terry Kiser, Susan Blu, Kevin Spirtas
Directed By: John Carl Buechler
#5
Friday the 13th, Part 2 (1981) 33%
#5
Adjusted Score: 37035%
Critics Consensus: Friday the 13th Part 2 sets the template for the franchise to follow with more teen victims, more gruesome set pieces, and fewer reasons to keep following along.
Synopsis: The second entry in the long-running horror series focuses on a group of teenage would-be counselors converging on Camp Crystal... [More]
Starring: Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King, Kirsten Baker
Directed By: Steve Miner
#6
Friday the 13th (2009) 25%
#6
Adjusted Score: 31881%
Critics Consensus: Though technically well-constructed, Friday the 13th is a series rehash that features little to distinguish it from its predecessors.
Synopsis: Against the advice of locals and police, Clay (Jared Padalecki) scours the eerie woods surrounding Crystal Lake for his missing... [More]
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle
Directed By: Marcus Nispel
#7
Adjusted Score: 23392%
Critics Consensus: As lumberingly single-minded as its homicidal star, Friday the 13th - The Final Chapter adds another rote entry to an increasingly labored franchise.
Synopsis: A carefree lakeside vacation is interrupted by the re-emergence of killer Jason Voorhees (Ted White). After he escapes from a... [More]
Starring: Kimberly Beck, Peter Barton, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover
Directed By: Joseph Zito
#8
Jason X (2002) 20%
#8
Adjusted Score: 23166%
Critics Consensus: Jason goes to the future, but the story is still stuck in the past.
Synopsis: The year is 2455. The Place is Old Earth. Once the shimmering blue jewel of the galaxy, Old Earth is... [More]
Starring: Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, Chuck Campbell, Jonathan Potts
Directed By: James Isaac
#9
Friday the 13th -- A New Beginning (1985) 18%
#9
Adjusted Score: 19334%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Years after Tommy Jarvis (John Shepherd) murdered hockey-masked serial killer Jason Voorhees, he resides in a mental hospital and struggles... [More]
Starring: John Shepherd, Melanie Kinnaman, Shavar Ross, Richard Young
Directed By: Danny Steinmann
#10
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) 16%
#10
Adjusted Score: 17057%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After being blown away by a team of FBI agents, Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) needs to find a way to... [More]
Starring: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Kane Hodder, Steven Williams
Directed By: Adam Marcus
#11
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) 11%
#11
Adjusted Score: 12763%
Critics Consensus: Jason terrorizes a ship and nearly sinks the franchise in a clunky sequel that feels like self-parody without the charm.
Synopsis: Mass murderer Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) is resurrected from the bottom of Crystal Lake. After he kills a passing boat's... [More]
Starring: Jensen Daggett, Scott Reeves, Kane Hodder, Peter Mark Richman
Directed By: Rob Hedden
#12
Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982) 7%
#12
Adjusted Score: 9066%
Critics Consensus: Jason may solidify his iconic wardrobe in this entry, but Friday the 13th Part 3 lacks any other distinguishing features, relying on a tired formula of stab and repeat.
Synopsis: The third installment in the "Friday the 13th" series picks up on the day after the carnage with homicidal maniac... [More]
Starring: Dana Kimmell, Paul Kratka, Tracie Savage, Richard Brooker
Directed By: Steve Miner
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