Two Worlds Collide: Freddy vs Jason 13 Years Later

As horror fans, we all have our favorite horror villains: Michael Myers, Candyman, Sam, Pinhead, Chucky, Leatherface, Freddy Kreuger, Jason Voorhees, and more. The idea of two horror legends fighting against each other was something fans wanted to see, often making guesses of who would win the fight and who would be left with their head chopped off. Around 13 years ago, audiences got what they wanted when two horror worlds collided with the release of Freddy vs Jason.

Freddy vs Jason was produced by New Line Cinema, directed by Ronny Yu, and written by Wes Craven, Victor Miller, Damian Shannon, and Mark Swift. It had an estimated budget of around $30 million dollars and took $100 million at the box office, which is no surprise as every fan of the horror genre was racing out to see the epic battle between Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. Although it did well in theaters, many people are not fans of it, considering it too cheesy and not the epic battle that they wanted. However, it is considered a part of both the A Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise and the Friday the 13th franchise, although some people will argue differently. This was also Robert Englund’s last role as Freddy to date and did not feature Kane Hodder as Jason.

The story begins with Freddy Krueger (Englund). He’s all down in the dumps because the children of Elm Street have forgotten about him. All of them. He awakens Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) through a dream posing as his Mother, Mrs. Voorhees. He hopes by awakening him, he can instill fear back into the lives of the children and they will once again remember him. His plan works, but not quite as he had planned, because once Jason starts killing he just won’t stop. But they’re Freddy’s children! Therefore, the battle begins and the town of Springfield has to stop two killers this time.

What I love most about this movie is that it combines two awesome worlds. In the very beginning, when Freddy is going on his rant, the audience gets to see different clips from past movies including A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985), A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989), Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991). Some of the characters have a history with Freddy while Jason is merely just a legend to most of them. Then, later on, we are taken to Camp Crystal Lake and relive the very beginning of what happened to Jason. Plus, Weston Hills is a big part of this film and is the birthplace of Freddy and was featured in the third installment.

The characters were kind of a bunch of misfits, but it worked. The main group was Lori (Monica Keena), Kia (Kelly Rowland), Will (Jason Ritter), Charlie (Chris Marquette), Mark (Brendan Fletcher), and Gibb (Katharine Isabelle). Gibb dies quickly as Freddy and Jason both attempt to get their hands on her, but the rest of them work together throughout the film to defeat this bizarre scenario. I thought they each gave good performances, but the chemistry wasn’t quite there. Robert Englund, of course, was phenomenal as Freddy, like always, and was his normally witty self with one-liners galore. My favorite being, “How sweet, dark meat,” which is a spin on the original quote, “How sweet, fresh meat.” Then there is Ken Kirzinger who played our favorite Camp Crystal Lake killer. He stood at 6’5″ making him the tallest actor to ever play the role of Jason.

Although none of the kills are extremely epic, the one that stands out the most for me is when Jason bends the dude in half with the mattress. Like, he folded him as if he were a piece of bread and butter! Beyond that, when Freddy burns “Freddy’s Back” onto the back of Mark… it’s pretty crazy, as is with the flashback of his brother’s death.

The story was a bit cheesy and slightly boring but had enough enjoyable moments to keep me watching. Throughout the movie Freddy and Jason get on each other’s nerves, torture each other with their own fears and weaknesses, and then at the end, the battle happens. Unfortunately, the battle is probably the most disappointing scene. It doesn’t last long and the fighting is kind of weak. My man Freddy really didn’t have a chance beyond dreamworld and Jason kicked his ass!

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed Freddy vs Jason, unlike some other fans. I know that it’s a bit cheesy and ridiculous, but either way, it’s an entertaining watch with fun characters, silly commentary, and stars two of our favorite horror villains. If you’re looking for a “horror movie” it’s probably not the best option for spooks and scares, but for it’s perfect for a few laughs and nostalgic moments. Plus, it’s the last time we get to see the man play Freddy Krueger and that in itself is enough reason for me to keep watching over and over again. On that note, we must know, are you #teamfreddy or #teamjeason?