Friday the 13th, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan . Weekly Alibi . 12-22-97

Friday the 13th, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

DIRECTED BY: Rob Hedden

REVIEWED: 12-22-97

Gaahh! Down to the wire, and we get saddled with one of the worst of the series. Faking us out with scenes of decadence in NYC (accompanied by a heartfelt power ballad), the film quickly returns to Camp Crystal Lake, where two young morons are fooling around on their boat. When the anchor cuts into a submerged power cable (!), the resulting jolt of electricity revives Jason, who hastily dispatches the two. Then we find that Crystal Lake is apparently a lagoon, as the Jason-laden boat drifts into a harbor that seems to be somewhere on the Pacific Coast. As the boat comes to a stop near a cruise ship full of "high school students" on their way to New York, we meet the abundance of asswipes some might call "characters"--the Sweet Virginal Girl; the Misunderstood Hero; the Film Geek; the Bitchy Prom Queen; the Cock-Rocker Chick (who dies way too soon--she had the potential to be annoying in a good way), and the Cranky Principal, who also happens to be the Virginal Girl's abusive Uncle. It's here that we realize how deceptive the title is--"Jason Takes the Love Boat" might've been closer to the truth, 'cause our loveable slasher doesn't touch his wet-n-squishy tootsies on Big Apple asphalt until an hour or so into the flick! The killings are pretty weak, the best being when Jason punches a guy's head off--other than that, the most interesting death occurs when Big J repeatedly stabs someone in the ass with a speargun. Once in NY, our "heroes" are attacked by a couple of junkie muggers, who shoot the Virginal Girl up with heroin so she'll be more relaxed while they rape her. However, proving he's not all bad, Jason rescues the girl (so he can kill her himself), then chases her and the Misunderstood Hero into the sewer. There they meet a worker who tells them they'd better beat feet--after all, everyone knows the sewers are flooded with toxic waste every night at midnight! This bit of nonsense leads to one of the stupidest things I've ever seen, which I won't spoil in case you choose to watch this ineptly-directed installment. Not as stinky as Pt. VI, but close. (Paramount)

--Scott Phillips

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