PopHorror Let's Get Scared
It’s been a long, hard road for Jason Voorhees fans. There haven’t been any new entries in the Friday the 13th film franchise since Freddy vs. Jason (read our retro review here) and Jason X (read our retro review here) graced the silver screen more than 20 years ago. There’s hope on the horizon in the form of Peacock’s upcoming Crystal Lake prequel series, but for most of the past two decades, if you needed a Friday the 13th fix, your only recourse was turning to the fan community. There are dozens of Friday fan films on YouTube: some good, some not so good. Where does Victim No More fall on the Friday Fan Film scale?
Read on for our review!
Victim No More (2022) Synopsis
Robby is a young man whose family members are surviving victims of serial killer Jason Voorhees. He sets out to prove to his loved ones that Voorhees is dead, and that the infamous Crystal Lake campgrounds are now safe. Will Robby find peace of mind for himself and his family? Or will he regret uncovering a truth he never expected to find?
Bob Heckman directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Tommy Chiesa and Jill Whitlow. It stars Hans Hendrickson, Deana Naja, Jill Whitlow, Joe Winchell, James Taffurelli, and Sean Jordan.
What Works
Fan films are, at their core, passion projects. You don’t set out to make a Friday the 13th tribute unless you have a love for the source material, and that love is evident in Victim No More. Heckman and crew treat Friday fans to a variety of winks, nods, and references from the entire film series, and it all feels very natural. It isn’t forced, nor does it beat the viewer over the head with a hammer…or machete…or anything else. It is respectful of the franchise’s characters and mythos.
The film uses the great Harry Manfredini’s music to great effect. You really get a feel for how much the music adds to every Friday the 13th film when you see it (hear it) woven into this fan production. It was cool watching the stylized opening credits and hearing The Final Chapter‘s credits music. Post credits, Manfredini’s score and cues are used effectively throughout. I also have to give props to the rest of the film’s rock music soundtrack which also serves to make Friday fans feel right at home.
The overall production is pretty slick. They have some nice, woodsy locations and some convincing, authentic-looking cabins. The Jason production design is quite good compared to a lot of these micro-budget films, and the gore and blood FX are satisfying. I will also say the film features a unique weapon I have never seen used in the series, and it’s used to great bloody (and comedic) effect. Bravo.
What Doesn’t Work
Pacing in fan films is a common pitfall, and Victim No More is no exception. You’re looking at a runtime of approximately 40 minutes, so it’s right in that no man’s land between what could have been a bite-sized short film or a full-length feature. Because the runtime falls in between, it’s tougher to set up the story and characters effectively. Robby is supposed to be the main character, but I felt closer to the characters at the camp, and the two sets of character stories didn’t come together elegantly, at least for me.
The film takes place entirely during the day. I shouldn’t really complain, because this is a franchise that sent Jason into space, after all, but it still feels odd to me to have our favorite killing machine doing his thing in broad daylight. Again, it’s not a dealbreaker for me, but it is something I noticed.
The cast features some well-known genre talent like Jill Whitlow, but the rest of the performances are a little more hit-and-miss. It’s cool, though, because it feels like everyone is giving their all, and shares the director’s passion for the project. On that note, I wanted to say Deana Naja’s performance was quite enjoyable and one of the highlights of my viewing experience.
Final Thoughts
If you’re the type of horror fan who, like me, appreciates a good fan film when he sees one, you’ll definitely want to give Victim No More a chance. There are some great surprises in there for fans, which I won’t spoil here, that I can guarantee will bring a smile to your face.
We are lucky enough in 2023 to get a Friday the 13th in October, right in the heart of spooky season. That would be the perfect time to give Victim No More a look. It’s streaming free on YouTube and Vimeo, so you can save your money for beverages and popcorn and take a journey to Camp Crystal Lake from the comfort of your own home.
Check out a link to the full movie below, and tell us what you think in the comments!
