Genre Rules Were Meant to Be Broken

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MOVIE REVIEW
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday [Limited Edition]
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Genre: Horror
Year Released: 1993, Arrow Video 4K 2025
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director(s): Adam Marcus
Writer(s): Jay Huguely, Adam Marcus, Dean Lorey
Cast: Kane Hodder, John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Steven Williams, Steven Culp, Erin Gray, Rusty Schwimmer, Richard Gant, Leslie Jordan, Billy Green Bush, Julie Michaels
Where to Watch: Available May 202, 205, pre-order your copy here: www.arrowvideo.com, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: When a horror franchise burns the rulebook as part of a sacrifice to the genre gods, it can go one of two ways: a total trainwreck or something so gleefully chaotic that it circles back to brilliance. This entry leans hard into the latter. It’s wild, it’s messy, and it’s undeniably a blast. Long misunderstood and often ridiculed, it’s finally getting the recognition it’s always deserved—and as someone who grew up with this era of horror, I couldn’t be happier to see it rise from the dirt Jason was pulled down into.

JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY came out swinging in a decade when horror struggled to find its identity. Audiences had seen it all by then—masked slashers, summer camp killers, and every variation of the stalk-and-slash formula. But this movie didn’t just try to spice things up; it detonated expectations in the opening scene. A trap is set, the villain is ambushed, and the entire tone shifts instantly. It’s not just about kills anymore. It’s about turning everything upside down and seeing what spills out.

What follows is less of a traditional sequel and more of a genre mashup with one foot in body horror and the other in supernatural weirdness. Instead of the usual masked murderer silently lumbering through the woods, we get a physical “parasite” jumping from body to body, searching for a new vessel that can handle it. It’s absurd and over-the-top, which is what makes the movie such a good time.

The fun comes from its refusal to color inside the lines. Every moment feels like a dare to the audience—are you ready to let go of what you thought this franchise was? Sure, it loses the familiar hockey mask for most of the runtime (potentially at the request of someone tied to the franchise's roots). Still, in exchange, it gives us a rollercoaster of bizarre deaths, unpredictable characters, and gooey practical effects that deliver big-time on the horror front.

And those effects? Still impressive even by today’s standards. The team went full throttle. There are brutal, creative kills that stick with you, including “one infamous” scene that might be the most outrageous moment in the entire series. The transformations are grotesque in the best way, and the gore is delivered with such confidence that you can't help but respect the craft. There's no hesitation—just full commitment to carnage- part of what makes it a rush to watch.

That’s not to say it’s all chaos. There’s structure beneath the madness. Even when the lore starts stretching logic a little thin—family ties, demonic rituals, and possession rules—it’s clear the film is trying to expand the mythology rather than recycle it. It’s the kind of storytelling that throws everything at the wall just to see what sticks. Not everything does, but enough succeeds to make it feel like something more than a rehash.

What keeps the movie grounded is its cast. One performance in particular brings a sharp edge of menace and intrigue. A bounty hunter who knows far too much about how to stop the evil at hand steps into the picture and instantly changes the tone. He’s mysterious, intense, and just weird enough to be memorable. Pair that with a lead who brings some heart to the chaos (even if you have to eat it) and you’ve got a duo that manages to carry this thing through its most unhinged moments.

There’s also an undeniable campy energy pulsing through the entire movie. It never takes itself too seriously, so it holds up better than some might expect. The tone walks the line between eerie and absurd, giving you the kind of scary fun that defined this franchise in the first place. It’s not just about fear—it’s about shock, laughs, and gasps, often in the same scene.

The finale seals the deal. That final moment—a teasing shot that hints at an epic crossover—was a jaw-dropper when it first happened and still gives longtime fans a little jolt of excitement (even though, according to the commentary track, it wasn’t for what we all think it was.) On that note, I don’t often get the time to check out commentary tracks, but I had to here. This and JASON X had some incredible insight that I learned new things listening, even as a diehard fan!

Looking back, this installment deserves far more credit than it got. It wasn’t afraid to take risks. It injected a stale formula with adrenaline, imagination, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. It wasn’t perfect, but it was never boring. And in horror, especially long-running horror, that’s a victory all its own. The restoration helped make the film look better than I ever thought possible. I remember watching this on VHS, and the 4K combines that gritty film feel with an incredible picture.

JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY doesn’t just survive the madness—it thrives in it. It’s the kind of horror flick that reminds you why scary stories can be fun. It brings the blood, the bizarre, and the energy equally. It’s loud, proud, and completely unhinged—and honestly, that makes it one of the most enjoyable entries in the entire franchise.

Bonus Materials:
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of both the Theatrical Cut and the Unrated Cut
Original lossless stereo and DTS-HD 5.1 surround audio on both cuts
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by JA Kerswell and original production notes

DISC ONE – THEATRICAL CUT
Introduction to the film by director Adam Marcus
Faces of Death, a brand new interview with special make-up effects creator Robert Kurtzman
Undercover Angel, a brand new interview with actor Julie Michaels
Mixing It Up, a brand new interview with composer Harry Manfredini
The Gates of Hell, an archival interview with director Adam Marcus
Jason vs. Terminator, director Adam Marcus on growing up with the Cunninghams
Über-Jason, an archival interview with Kane Hodder on playing Jason
Additional TV footage, with optional commentary by director Adam Marcus
Theatrical trailer and TV spots
Still, behind-the-scenes and poster galleries

DISC TWO – UNRATED CUT
Brand new audio commentary with film historians Michael Felsher and Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton
Archival audio commentary with director Adam Marcus and author Peter Bracke
Archival audio commentary with director Adam Marcus and screenwriter Dean Lorey

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[photo courtesy of ARROW VIDEO, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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