PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When you think of Friday the 13th, you immediately label it as Jason’s Day. When I was asked to review The 13th Friday, I assumed because of the inclusion of Friday and 13, that this film was going to have some kind of slasher aspect, but alas, I was wrong. I admit, there were some good ideas in the film, but as a whole, it fails to deliver.
Official Synopsis: Thrill seeking friends return to the place of the most terrifying killer.
What Works
The plot revolves around Allison (Lisa May) as she and her friends perform a sacrifice each month to appease this evil entity. If they don’t, then they will die. Allison feels remorseful; she really doesn’t want to be in this predicament. She ends up talking to some of the family members of the people that they sacrificed. Her actions make her the last sacrifice. She manages to get away, but this kickstarts the deaths of her friends.
The best death scene was when one of her friends was being taken out by a truck, as well as the first death of a bedsheet hanging. How everything started was when the group messed with this puzzle box kind, of like the lamentation cube from Hellraiser. The device was unique and intricate. The design made it stand out.
What Needs Work
The little girl that haunts the group can be creepier. She was burnt to death, but she did not look like it. If she had some good burns on her face and some flesh peeling off, then that would have made her scary AF. Also, the pacing of The 13th Friday is so, so slow. If the film would have focused more on the group getting taken out one by one, then that would have been scary. There were no jump scares in this film, which, if you are going for a paranormal, scary element, then you need jump scares. Plus, please change the title. It gives the wrong message to the viewers; a more appropriate title would be something along the lines of “13 Sacrifices.”
Overall, The 13th Friday needs some work. It has some good qualities, but they do not outweigh what needs fixed and/or improved. The 13th Friday will be on VOD on October 10th. What do you think? Will you be checking it out? Let us know in the comments below!
