Freddy Vs Jason (2003)
Director: Ronny Yu
Starring: Monica Keena, Kelly Rowland, Jason Ritter, Robert Englund,
Primary genre: Slasher
With both New Line Cinema franchises having more lows than highs in a career that spans almost three decades and having exhausted the audience’s patience for adequate slasher outputs, an ingenious idea was born since THAT ending of “Jason Goes to Hell” (1993); why not putting Freddy Krueger against Jason Voorhees?
What sounded a silly concept initially, became a surprise hit mainly because the people behind the camera understood what made those bringers of death tick and updated them for a new era. While on page “Freddy Vs Jason” is just an excuse to unite these past their prime icons in one last slasher “adventure”, director Ronny Yu (“The Bride with White Hair (1993), “The 51st State“ (2001)) should be commended for approaching the material with a never-excessive and self aware tone that makes the proceedings all the more enjoyable. Leaving the cash grab and cheapness sentiment behind either’s latest installments, Yu ushers genuine energy under his confident direction, favoring wonderfully composed frames which are complemented by a spot on hypersaturated and vibrant cinematography.
The script does not attempt to freshen up the storylines or introducing new controversial elements choosing instead to keep intact Jason’s and Freddy’s backstories and inventing a neat and uncontrived way of putting these two against each other. If you expect something more creatively rich, you are in for a disappointment. Yu checks every slasher box available (e.g., gratuitous nudity, excessive gore, thunder, lighting, fog) and focuses on the making of an expected rollercoaster ride as opposed to a deeply personal take; he ignores the prevalent creative principle of that decade that desired a PG-13 approach in the genre of horror.
However, the budget constraints and a natural inclination to choose the abused Jason over the “evil” Krueger give more room for the towering behemoth to plow his way through an army of dispensable (and clunky acted) teens (including Kelly what-the-hell-are-you-doing-here-Rowland). Their role as vessels for some unfortunate and OTT deaths with cool make up effects make this slasher a more enjoyable experience than it has any right to be. Particularly, when you take into account Robert Englund’s final grandiose performance as Freddy who returns to his more menacing roots of the first three “Nightmare of Elm Streets” and stealing the show with his antics.
And it is here where the film shifts its gears towards the much anticipated duel and once we get there, we experience exactly what they have cleverly advertised. Freddy and Jason fight in both the physical and the dream world under a clever take of power vs magic which is really an excuse to use interestingly some pretty nifty Hong Kong inspired action choreography and stuntwork around arenas that would feel at home in “Mortal Kombat”. You could argue that “Freddy Vs Jason” becomes almost a full blown action movie if Jackie Chan decided to do horror. You can only laugh and squirm in the way these two attempt to hurt each other.
To be more critical of this film, would be an exercise in vanity. “Freddy Vs Jason” knows it is not high art but an entertaining slasher that boasts gorgeous cinematography and enough visual panache that puts other and more tonally grim attempts in the same genre into shame. The running time is just about right and if your heart desires watching these two duking it out across Elm Street and Crystal Lake camp, then this film is for you. If you expect anything remotely close to an intriguing story or elevated horror (what a terrible term), look away now. This is old school slasher at its purest form.
A blast from start to finish
+Excellent make up effects
+Vibrant and colorful cinematography
+Robert Englund is ace as Freddy
+Face off does not disappoint
+Strong stuntwork
+Enjoyable OTT deaths
+Energetic direction
+Awesome score by Graeme Revell
+Self aware
+Interesting way of having Jason Vs Freddy
-Dispensable teens
-Slasher clichés are all present