Horror Meets Sci-Fi, and Somehow It Works

Read Time:7 Minute, 19 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Jason X [Limited Edition]
/ –

Genre: Horror
Year Released: 2001, Arrow Video 4K 2025
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director(s): James Isaac
Writer(s): Todd Farmer, Victor Miller
Cast: Kane Hodder, Jeff Geddis, Lexa Doig, David Cronenberg, Markus Parilo, Jonathan Potts, Lisa Ryder, Dov Tiefenbach, Chuck Campbell, Melyssa Ade, Boyd Banks, Barna Moricz
Where to Watch: Available May 20, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.arrowvideo.com, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: How do you keep a slasher franchise fresh after nine films, multiple fake-out finales, and a killer who's already been to hell and back? Easy—you strap a hockey mask on your villain, shoot him into orbit, and let chaos take the controls. There’s something undeniably absurd about the moment a horror series sets course for space, but that’s exactly what makes this chapter such a deliriously bold swing. It doesn’t just break rules—it vaporizes them in zero gravity, gleefully swapping the woods for steel corridors. What could’ve been a last gasp is one of the wildest—and weirdly most enjoyable—entries in the entire saga.

Watching this film again after all these years—especially with the pristine 4K restoration and insightful commentary tracks—reminded me exactly why it’s stuck with me. It came out when horror shifted, trying to figure out how to stay relevant post-meta boom. And while it didn’t land with everyone, it was a gift for fans like me, those raised on late-night VHS marathons and looking forward to every outrageous new installment. Not every horror movie has to be terrifying. Sometimes, it just needs to be fun.

This movie embraces the fun that horror can offer. A specific kind of glee exists when watching a legendary character like Jason stomp through a spaceship's cold, sterile halls, utterly out of place and completely unfazed. The film injects energy into a franchise cycling through similar settings and structures by transplanting a decades-old killer into a futuristic setting. Rather than trying to recreate what worked before, it doubled down on doing something completely off-the-wall—and it works far better than most gave it credit for at the time.

One of the biggest joys here is that it knows exactly what it is. From the moment the cryogenic freezer door creaks open to the final, the movie commits to its outlandish concept with a confidence that’s genuinely infectious. It doesn’t wink at the audience with smug self-awareness; it just pulls us in for the ride, asking only that we suspend disbelief and enjoy the carnage.

It is especially effective because it still respects the series' core identity. The basic slasher formula remains intact despite the sci-fi sheen and space-age tech. A group of characters makes a series of bad decisions, Jason wakes up, and soon it’s a countdown to see who, if anyone, makes it out alive. The kills are imaginative, sometimes ridiculous, and always satisfying. One, involving liquid nitrogen, remains one of the best in this film and among the franchise’s greatest hits.

Kane Hodder’s portrayal anchors the film. He’s more than a silent brute in a mask—his body language brings weight and menace to Jason that never feels cartoonish, even when the world around him is practically begging for camp. When he eventually transforms into the enhanced version of himself, it’s not just an upgrade—it’s a reward. The design is absurd, but it’s executed with enough flair that it becomes iconic in its own right.

The tone carefully balances horror and humor. There are genuine moments of tension, but they’re peppered with well-placed laughs that keep the pacing from dragging. A standout sequence involves a holographic throwback, familiar tropes, and a clever callback to one of Jason’s most infamous kills. It’s a moment that sums up everything this movie does right: honoring the past while exploring the future.

It’s not perfect, of course. Some of the dialogue is clunky enough to make you laugh when you shouldn’t, and a few supporting characters seem pulled straight from a sci-fi parody rather than a horror story. More importantly, the movie never loses its sense of fun. Even when the stakes are life or death, even when blood hits the walls, there’s a sense that everyone involved knew they were making something unorthodox and leaned into it. That willingness to play, to experiment without completely abandoning the franchise’s DNA, sets this film apart from other sequels that simply repeat the same formula.

And that’s the thing—fun has always been a part of what made this franchise memorable. Yes, the fear is there. Yes, there’s tension. But running parallel to all the screams and slashes is a thrill, an excitement, and gleeful chaos that made each installment feel like a special event. This film captures and amplifies that spirit, using its setting to shake things up without losing sight of what made the character—and the series—work in the first place.

The ending teases more that could have been done, and it’s hard not to wonder what a full-on interstellar continuation might’ve looked like. There’s untapped potential in the concept of Jason unleashed on other worlds, but even if this is where that journey ends, it’s a high note to go out on.

Revisiting this entry reminded me how often the best horror sequels are the ones that take risks. It might not be everyone's favorite, but it doesn’t have to be. It offers something missing from too many modern horror films: a willingness to go big, get weird, and have unapologetic fun.

Bonus Materials
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original lossless stereo and DTS-HD 5.1 surround audio options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Introduction to the film by actor Kane Hodder
Brand new audio commentary with film historians Michael Felsher and Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton
Archival audio commentary with writer Todd Farmer and author Peter Bracke
Archival audio commentary with director Jim Isaac, writer Todd Farmer, and producer Noel Cunningham
Scoring the Stars, a brand new interview with composer Harry Manfredini
Outta Space: The Making of Jason X, an archival documentary on the making of the film featuring interviews with producers Noel Cunningham and Sean S. Cunningham, actor Kane Hodder, and writer Todd Farmer
In Space No One Can Hear You Scream, an archival interview with writer Todd Farmer
Kristi is a Headbanger, an archival interview with actor Kristi Angus
Jason Rebooted, Sean S. Cunningham on Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X
The Many Lives of Jason Voorhees is an archival documentary on the history of the character
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of Jason X, an archival making-of documentary
Cast and crew interviews
Behind-the-scenes footage
Electronic Press Kit
Theatrical trailers and TV spots
Still, behind-the-scenes and poster galleries
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 Matt Donato and JA Kerswell

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[photo courtesy of ARROW VIDEO, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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