Friday the 13th (1980) review – An Ultra-Generic Slasher That Survives On Pure Nostalgia

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at a title that is immediately recognisable to most horror fans – Friday the 13th from 1980.

Following the story of a bunch of camp counsellors attempting to revive an abandoned summer camp with a sordid past, Friday the 13th sees our group of industrious teens being picked off one by one by an unknown killer. Let’s take a look.

A horror classic but why?

Friday the 13th came along during the slasher movie boom of the 70s to 80s. It’s square aim was to capitalise on the success of films like Halloween and Black Christmas. The movie was directed by Sean S. Cunningham. Cunningham had previously worked with Wes Craven on the, at the time, ultra-controversial horror movie The Last House on the Left. He wanted to go in a completely different direction and wanted to scare viewers in a completely different way.

It turns out that way was to copy the very thing that was making other slasher movies so appealing in that era. Namely an unknown killer with a shaky motive brutally murdering sexed-up teens with no remorse. Friday the 13th does nothing new and doesn’t really innovate in any major way. Looking back on it in 2024, it’s hard to see how this movie is often brought up with the likes of Halloween when talking about slasher classics.

“Whereas Halloween was a creative horror with compelling characters, Friday the 13th was just a generic slasher with few ideas and little to differentiate it from the pack.”

Whereas Halloween was a creative horror with compelling, atypical characters, a terrifying antagonist, and a well-developed story, Friday the 13th was just a generic slasher with few ideas and little to differentiate it from the rest of the pack. Hell, this movie didn’t even have the one thing that would come to define the series in future years.

What, no Jason?

The one thing that people associate with Friday the 13th is barely even present in the first entry. Jason Voorhees, who would go on to become one of the more iconic horror movie villains of all time, is nowhere to be found. At least in his traditional masked form, anyway.

Friday the 13th focuses on an altogether different, and somewhat unexpected, antagonist. This is something that might serve as a pleasant surprise to unsuspecting viewers. Especially those who aren’t completely up on their horror history. What may serve as even more of a surprise is just how average this movie is.

Friday the 13th is not a patch on Halloween! This is even despite both titles being spoken about in the same breath by many horror fans. Filmed on a shoestring budget and with little in the way of suspense and scares, Friday the 13th is one of those movies that is a “one and done.” There is no reason to go back to it once you have watched it. If it wasn’t for the continued popularity of the series, I doubt many would remember it at all.

You can take many slashers from the era and they would hold up quite well to this movie. It’s simply the same old same old. From the tried-and-tested themes of the promiscuous characters being killed while fornicating to the virginal last girl.

“Jason Voorhees, who would go on to become one of the more iconic horror movie villains of all time, is nowhere to be found. At least in his traditional masked form, anyway.”

This is slasher-by-numbers and, ultimately, a movie that benefits greatly from the rose-tinted glasses of horror fans. When I think about this movie, the only thing I remember is how predictable it is, the fact that there isn’t a bra in sight, and how they killed an innocent snake on set for the sake of a terrible scare.

Memorable? Not quite!

Friday the 13th is just a generic slasher with little to write home about. Kills are incredibly projected, they aren’t that interesting, and the characters aren’t deep enough to care all that much about. When you think of typical slasher victims-in-waiting, this movie set the blueprint. Betsy Palmer is an underrated highlight and steals the show every time she is on screen. But, outside of her, there is very little to care about here.

When you are born in the 80s and grow up a fan of horror, Friday the 13th is one of those movies you will end up watching a lot. In the days of terrestrial television, this was a Halloween mainstay. With that being said, it is hard to understand why. Sure, it does a few things right: the iconic soundtrack helped define how to score a slasher. But it is a massive surprise that this movie spawned over ten more as well as a remake or two.

When I think of the series as a whole, the only thing that stands out is the fact that Jason Voorhees is a fun antagonist. Friday the 13th might have the rare accolade of being the longest-running horror series to not have one single decent movie. What’s worse is that its success changed the trajectory of the slasher genre. Tension and suspense suddenly took a back seat to overt violence and bloodshed. Just look at what happened to Halloween 2 as a result of this movie.

“Predictable kills, a dull cast, no scares, and little suspense. This is as formulaic as 80s slashers come. If it wasn’t for the sequels, I doubt anyone would remember it at all.”

My favourite iteration is Friday the 13th IV: The Final Chapter. But the series never really developed beyond generic, formulaic slashers with an interesting villain. It truly is a series that never peaked and managed to find some very specifically awful horror lows… Jason X, I am looking at you.

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A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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