4K review of Friday the 13th

While remakes have a long tradition in the horror genre, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre started a decades-long trend of reinventing classic genre properties for the new millennium. Hoping to replicate the success of Texas ChainsawProduction company Platinum Dunes worked again with director Marcus Nispel for a contemporary interpretation Friday the 13th in 2009.

Like many of the best remakes, Friday the 13th does not use the same plot and characters as the 1980 film. The screenplay, written by Freddy vs Jason Writer Damian Shannon And Mark Swiftcreates a careful balance between fresh and familiar by combining novel concepts with elements from the first four Friday the 13th Films — from Mrs. Voorhees to the sack-head Jason to the legendary hockey mask.

After a detailed prologue — which shortens the summer camp slasher formula to 20 breakneck minutes before the title card appears — the rough-looking Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki, Supernatural) is introduced. While searching for his missing sister in the Crystal Lake area (Amanda Riggetti, The Mentalist), he meets the likeable Jenna (Danielle Panabaker, The Flash), her incredibly stupid boyfriend Trent (Travis Van Winkle, You) and her friends celebrate in a luxurious cabin in the woods.

The rest of the crew consists of the stoners Chewie (Aaron Yoo, Disturbances) and Lawrence (Arlen Escarpeta, End station 5), promiscuous couple Nolan (Ryan Hansen, Veronica Mars) and Chelsea (pop star of the early 2000s Willa Ford) and seductress Bree (Julianna Guill, The resident). It won't be long before Jason Voorhees (Derek Mears, Swamp matter) begins to cut them up one by one.

A product of its time, Friday the 13th brings some sadism to the slasher fun. It doesn't reach Rob Zombie's Halloween Levels of brutality, but Jason is noticeably more savage than before. Unlike previous incarnations, Nispel's interpretation of Jason is a lean, evil hunter. The intense physicality that Mears brings to the role makes him a strong contender for the title of most fearsome Jason in the franchise's 12-film history.

On the occasion of its 15th anniversary Friday the 13th receives a 2-disc release in 4K Ultra HD via Arrow video. Both the 97-minute theatrical version and the 105-minute “Killer Cut” (with more action, blood and nudity) are presented in 4K in Dolby Vision and original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Cinematographer Daniel Pearl (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) the rough aesthetic with its shiny shimmer is precisely portrayed with great detail and contrast.

Nispel provides a new commentary on the theatrical cut, discussing his inspirations and the trials and tribulations of making the film. Shannon and Swift's new commentary compares and contrasts their various drafts of the script with the finished film, poking fun at various fan misconceptions. In the uncensored version, critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson do a fantastic job of contextualizing the horror landscape from which the film emerged.

A new interview with Nispel covers many of the same topics as the commentary, but the freeform nature allows for additional candid insights. The same can be said about the interview with Shannon and Swift, who reveal details about their unfilmed sequel that would open in the winter, feature Jason's father Elias in a flashback, and see the return of franchise favorite Tommy Jarvis. Pearl also sits down for a new interview discussing his visual approach. Bloody Disgusting contributor Matt Donato presents “A Killer New Beginning,” a new video essay on Fridays exemplary approach to horror remakes.

Also included are archive extras: excerpts from the Terror Trivia track, previously presented as a picture-in-picture; The rebirth of Jason Voorheesa making-of featurette with cast and crew; Back hack / forward strikeabout reviving the franchise; The 7 best killsdetailing some of the film's death scenes, deleted scenes (including an alternate origin of the hockey mask), teaser trailers, theatrical trailers, TV spots, footage from electronic press kits, and an image gallery.

The limited edition set includes a booklet with new writing by horror critics Matt Konopka and Alexandra West, a double-sided poster with Gary Pullin's new artwork and the original key art, and a postcard from Crystal Lake.

Some fans took exception to the changes to the status quo, including Jason’s agility and intelligence, but Friday the 13th features brutal murders, some of the series' best suspense, a few genuinely funny moments, and a lot of subversion when it comes to genre conventions. Sure, it's impossible to compare it to the nostalgic warmth of an '80s favorite, but on its face, the reboot belongs in the discussion as the franchise's most mature entry.

Friday the 13th (2009) will be released on 4K UHD on September 17th.