Okay, let's be real. No one in existence expects much out of a movie like Freddy vs. Jason. It's not going to change your outlook on fife, feed the hungry or help you lose weight. But it will make you laugh till you cry. To put it simply Freddy vs. Jason is good because it's so bad.
Here's a film that finally pits two of America's favorite guilty pleasures against one another; the powerhouse slaughter-machine Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th film series and the demonic yet sardonic Freddy Krueger of A Nightmare on Elm Street fame.
Fear not, if you happen to be a Friday or Nightmare virgin (virgins always survive these films anyway).
The opening moments of the movie are narrated by none other than Freddy himself, getting the audience up to speed with the past few years of his life. Apparently, Freddy and his evil machinations have all but been forgotten on Elm Street, which unsurprisingly, ticks him off. Weakened, he decides to dupe good ole' Jason into causing a ruckus in his name so he may once again come to power. Plenty of gore, bad one-liners and gratuitous nudity ensue.
In all honesty, the premise itself isn'thalf-bad. However, the movie still takes itself too seriously, one of both series' fatal flaws over the years. But of course, this allows the audience to laugh even harder at the absurdity of it all.
When Jason starts taking out too many of Elm Street's kiddies (includinga hilarious slaughterfest at a high school rave), Freddy decides it's time to put Jason in his place.
Caught in the middle of the supernatural contest are Lori (Monica Keena) and Will (Jason Ritter), two teenage lovebirds pulled apart by a secret from Lori's past but reunited after Will escapes from the mental institution (yes, this film actually has subplots!). Making her acting debut is Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child, successfully proving that Beyonce isn't the only member of the pop trio who can suck as an actress. Pulling together a cast of at least somewhat recognizable stars helps the audience care a little more for our protagonists as Freddy and/or Jason hunt them.
The only character movie watchers will loathe is Freeburg, who is a blatant rip-off of the Jay character from the Jay and Silent Bob films. His stoner antics and lines try to lighten the mood but just distract us when we least want it.
Not spoiling too much, he gets exactly what he deserves, one of many gruesome yet laughable deaths throughout the film. Some of the more memorable killings include a guy being folded in half the wrong way while in bed, a beheaded father-son chat and a would-be rapist and his victim getting impaled simultaneously.
As for the only death scene that anyone cares about, well, this reviewer won't say much. Ultimately it doesn't matter which one wins because, as we know, these guys always manage to come back for another round.
