Despite grossing $21.9 million against a $2.2 million budget, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning received backlash from the fans. The studio intended to start a new trilogy with Tommy Jarvis as the central killer, but they scrapped the idea. Paramount hired Tom McLoughlin, who made his directorial debut with 1982’s One Dark Night, for the next installment. Producer Frank Mancuso Jr. gave McLoughlin creative control on the condition that Jason return as the central villain. Since the studio decided to retcon the previous installment, none of the surviving actors, including John Shepherd, returned. Instead, Thom Matthews, who starred in 1985’s Return of the Living Dead, took on the role of Tommy Jarvis. Filming occurred in Covington, Georgia, with Camp Daniel Morgan standing in for the rechristened Camp Forest Green. After some disagreements with the producers, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives slashed onto screens in August 1986.
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Synopsis
Still haunted by his childhood trauma, Tommy Jarvis (Thom Matthews) returns to Crystal Lake to finish what he started. He comes to burn Jason’s body, but a freak bolt of lightning brings the killer back from the dead. Now supercharged and undead, Jason Voorhees (C.J. Graham) stalks the woods of Crystal Lake, now Forest Green, for victims. Tommy tries warning Sheriff Mike Garris (David Kagen), but he doesn’t believe him and locks Tommy in jail. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s daughter Megan (Jennifer Cooke) leads a team of counselors heading up this year’s summer camp. Tommy’s warnings get brushed aside as the sheriff tries his damndest to keep Jason buried as an urban legend. Soon, bodies start piling up, and the sheriff suspects Tommy is killing people to make them think Jason has returned. Will Tommy stop Jason once and for all, or will Jason turn Forest Green into Camp Blood?
Review
Given how disappointing the last entry was, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives is a breath of fresh air. The pre-credits sequence perfectly sets the tone, combining an old Universal monster movie and Jason. You’ve got the rolling fog, the spooky cemetery, the characters grave-robbing, and the monster brought to life by lightning. It’s more or less like Frankenstein, only if the creature wore a hockey mask and ripped people’s hearts out Kano-style. Top it off with a James Bond parody, and you have an opening that gets you in the proper mood. McLoughlin’s choice to include self-referential humor is a welcome addition, poking fun at the series while still being serious. Despite the funny scenarios, everyone takes it seriously, making it more humorous than if everyone played it for laughs. It’s easy to see where Kevin Williamson got some of his inspiration for the monster hit Scream.
Though John Shepherd is missed, Thom Matthews makes for a great Tommy Jarvis, who is now older and more determined. He’s given much more to do and say this time and even has some lighthearted moments here and there. It’s a shame this was Jennifer Cooke’s last role because she’s fun as the wild and carefree Megan. She’s got great chemistry with Matthews, her back-and-forths with David Kagen’s sheriff are humorous, and she has gusto. C.J. Graham makes for one of the best Jasons in the series, giving a commanding presence while injecting some humor. However, while Jason himself isn’t funny, his deadpan reactions to everything around him are where the humor comes from. A great example is when he comes across a rocking RV, and he tilts his head in confusion. I guess no one told him, “If the van’s a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin.'”
Some fans might be disappointed that there’s no nudity here, but nudity alone doesn’t make a good slasher. Part 5 had the most nudity up to this point, and that’s considered one of the weaker entries. The kills make a good slasher, and this one has some inventive kills that are funny and gruesome. Seeing Jason rip someone’s heart out, twist someone’s head off, and bend someone backward demonstrates his new supernatural strength. Unfortunately, despite some great moments, the film’s pacing drags noticeably after the opening sequence, but not enough to ruin it. Also, despite the welcome addition of self-referential humor, the movie has the same plot as the previous installments. Despite that, this is easily one of the best entries in the series that delivers what the fans want. Overall, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives improves over what came before and introduces new elements to the franchise.
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