As previously stated, producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. insisted that Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter would be the last installment. However, the film grossed $33 million against a $2.2 million budget, so Paramount decided to continue the series anyway. Phil Scuderi, one of the series’ longtime financiers, hired Danny Steinmann of The Unseen and Savage Streets fame to direct. Since Jason died in the last film, the producers decided to make the next installment a whodunit like the original. Under the working title Repetition, the movie was shot in and around Beverly Hills and Camarillo, California, in 1984. Unfortunately, there were production issues, namely clashes between Steinmann and Mancuso and edits mandated by the MPAA. Little did the filmmakers know that the final result would be one of the most divisive entries in the series. Ultimately, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning opened in March 1985.
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Synopsis
Years after surviving his encounter with Jason Voorhees, Tommy Jarvis (John Shepherd) is put in a halfway house. Due to the trauma he endured, Tommy is very quiet and reserved, which makes him an easy target for bullying. Terror strikes the community when mentally disturbed Vic (Mark Venturini) kills overweight Joey (Dominick Brascia) over a chocolate bar. Soon, more murders happen near the halfway house, and numerous suspects are named, including Tommy and possibly Jason. Among those killed are lovers Eddie (John Robert Dixon) and Tina (Debisue Voorhees) and the goth Violet (Tiffany Helm). Soon, the only ones left are Pam (Melanie Kinnaman) and Reggie “The Reckless” (Shavar Ross), with Tommy mysteriously absent. They soon meet the killer, wearing a hockey mask that’s very similar but different to Jason’s. But is this Jason back from the dead, is it a mentally deranged Tommy, or is it someone else?
Review
Like Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning has been harshly criticized since its release. Most of the criticism is over the killer’s identity and how it pulled a fast one on the audience. While it’s not as strong as the earlier installments, this film doesn’t deserve nearly the hate it gets. For one, John Shepherd does a great job as a traumatized Tommy Jarvis, acting quiet and reserved. Even though he doesn’t have many lines, you can tell from his facial expressions that he’s been through a lot. Melanie Kinnaman is also good as the strong and nurturing Pam, who wants to help Tommy overcome his trauma. Shavar Ross is also fun as the fearless Reggie “The Reckless” and has excellent chemistry with Kinnaman and Shepherd. Carol Locatell and Ron Sloan are also memorable as a foul-mouthed redneck and her yokel son, respectively.
The thing that makes any Friday the 13th movie work is the creativity and brutality of the kills. There are some decent kills, though they’re not as brutal as those from The Final Chapter or Part 3. Some more unique kills include a flare to the mouth, hedge trimmers to the eyes, and a head-crushing belt. Aside from that, most of the film’s deaths are the usual stabbings and slashings you’ve expected from this series. It seems director Danny Steinmann was more interested in showing busty women topless than creating elaborate kills. Nudity does add to the series’ charm, but it doesn’t mean the difference between a good and lousy installment. It doesn’t help that, aside from a few standouts, most of the characters aren’t all that memorable. While no one is insufferably annoying, it’s hard to feel sad about people dying when they don’t have much characterization.
While it’s admirable that the filmmakers tried making this more of a whodunit, they somewhat give away the killer’s identity. I won’t spoil it here, but if you watch the film, it’s made pretty obvious who will be the killer. Whether intentional or not, it’s frustrating when you learn who the killer is, considering the direction they could’ve gone in. They tried to build off the ending of the last film and double down on it in this film’s ending. Unfortunately, the fans were so upset that the setup was abandoned, which is a shame but not a series-ender. This is a competently-made, decently-paced slasher with some decent kills and a few memorable characters. But as an entry in one of the longest-running horror franchises, this one misses the mark, but not without trying. Overall, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning isn’t great, but it’s at least underrated.
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