Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Directed by: Steve Miner | 83 minutes | horror, thriller | Actors: Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King, Kirsten Baker, Stuart Charno, Warrington Gillette, Walt Gorney, Marta Kober, Tom McBride, Bill Randolph, Lauren-Marie Taylor, Russell Todd, Betsy Palmer, Cliff Cudney, Jack Marks, Jerry Wallace, Steve Dash

Jason Voorhees is one of, if not the most famous serial killer in cinema history. The first ‘Friday the 13th’ was a raw, grubby and creepy introduction to the story surrounding the maniac and his insane mother. After the unexpected cinema success of the first part, it was of course only logical that there would be a sequel. Producer Steve Miner, who also worked on the first film, took on the task of directing part 2.

And the film is straight forward: we see Jason taking revenge for the murder of his mother by helping the last survivor of the first film to another world. The tone is set, let the game begin! This time, a young entrepreneur settles near the infamous Camp Crystal Lake with the intention of training a group of young people to become camp leaders. Full of enthusiasm, he and the group set to work, but Jason’s shadow hangs over the entire company from the start. It is not difficult to guess what happens next. One by one, the youngsters fall prey to his murderous lust. This is shown according to the well-known formula. A “first person” camera angle here and there and lots of inventive ways to kill with different tools(!). Harry Manfredini’s highly effective, creepy music is, as in the first film, another one of its strengths. This, combined with the carefully built-in “scare moments” (and a good final chase) means that when watching the film in the dark, you will squint your eyes. Moreover, the actors do their best to make something of the otherwise unoriginal story.

Although the average movie buff, like the other installments in the series, will dismiss this film as cheap horror pulp, ‘Friday the 13th Part 2′ deserves a little more credit. He effectively meets the needs of fans of this genre, the desire for an evening of basic, violent horror. You don’t have to be innovative for that. And with a character like Jason (who more or less makes his debut here) you have a strong trump card.