Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) Review – The Best Of A Bad Bunch
Friday the 13th Part IV: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: Widely regarded as the pinnacle of the franchise, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is a quintessentially 80s slasher that succeeds by leaning into its own absurdity. While the series as a whole is often technically lacking, Part IV stands out thanks to the return of special effects legend Tom Savini, whose gruesome practical work provides the film with its most memorable moments. The addition of a young Corey Feldman and an eccentric Crispin Glover adds a layer of personality often missing from the genre’s typical “victim” archetypes. It is a 3 star slasher that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but rather polishes the spokes to a bloody shine. It is the definitive Jason Voorhees experience for those looking to celebrate Friday the 13th with the best the series has to offer.
Details: Director: Joseph Zito | Cast: Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Kimberly Beck, Ted White | Runtime: 1h 31m | Release Date: 13 April 1984
Best for: Slasher enthusiasts, fans of 80s practical effects, and anyone looking for the most “complete” entry in the Friday the 13th saga.
Worth noting: Despite the title, this was only the fourth of twelve films in the franchise, though it was genuinely intended to be the end at the time of production.
Where to Watch: Amazon🛒, Paramount+
Rating: 3/5 Stars
(Great Savini effects, memorable cast, peak 80s slasher tropes)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. It’s October, and it’s Friday the 13th. You know what that means, right? It’s time to review Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984).
Table of Contents
Generic slasher
So as far as slashers go, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is one of them. It’s about as basic, run of the mill, a slasher as you can find. Jason wakes up in a morgue and goes on a killing spree. A family living in the middle of nowhere and a group of young teens find themselves in the crosshairs of the marauding masked killer. Forcing them to fight for their very survival. Expect gore, a lot of boobs and a ton of screaming.
“Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is as basic and run of the mill as you can find. Expect gore, a lot of nudity, and a ton of screaming.”
And that is really all there is to say about it. Part IV doesn’t do anything particularly differently. It just follows the early 80s slasher formula to a tee. Where it improves on previous Friday the 13th movies is in its story and kills. The previous movies placed a bunch of people in a location and had them mercilessly killed. The Final Chapter actually continues on from the third movie and attempts to develop some characters.
It frequently references the first movie and attempts to build on the lore of Jason Voorhees a little more. Characters are more fleshed out and a few of them are pretty well developed. Corey Feldman’s character of Tommy would go on to become a somewhat iconic figure in the series and appeared in two sequels. Even our victims in waiting have some degree of personality; even though the main thing motivating them all is getting their ends away. It just feels a little more substantial than the movies that preceded it.
Blood and guts
Naturally, the main thing that matters here are the kills. Tom Savini made a return to the series after a hiatus to help put an end to Jason once and for all. And his special effects work here is pretty decent. The kills are fun and rather creative with some very nice rubber prosthetic work that looks suitably gnarly and a great reveal of maskless Jason later on in the film. The kills come thick and fast once they start and the blood never stops flowing.
The movie has plenty of humour. Crispin Glover with his dance scene might be one of my favourite slasher moments ever. For those of you who like your slashers with a lot less clothing, The Final Chapter has more nudity than pretty much any movie in the series.
“Tom Savini’s special effects work here is pretty decent. The kills are fun and rather creative with some very nice rubber prosthetic work that looks suitably gnarly.”
The women here find any excuse to get naked, either to the amusement or annoyance of the person watching. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is just a perfect representation of 80s slashers, for better or for worse.
The Final Chapter but not
This movie is subtitled The Final Chapter and that was very deliberate. Producer Frank Mancuso Jr. was sick of feeling unappreciated for the series and wanted to move on to greener pastures. Paramount agreed. Foreseeing the end of the slasher golden era, the movie was titled The Final Chapter to ensure it would be the last.
Savini jumped on board because he wanted to send Jason off in style. Joseph Zito was given the directing helm. This was his only Friday the 13th movie before making a bunch of Chuck Norris action movies and that was that.
Only, it wasn’t! Obviously, the makers caved in to the pressure of the potential money that the franchise could make. They went on to produce a whole bunch of sequels and even a reboot or two. That’s without mentioning the strangely popular Freddy vs. Jason as well. The Friday the 13th movies aren’t very good, even when they are at their best. But they have made a ton of money and Jason is an absolute horror icon. When you just need to scratch that slasher itch, they might just fit the bill. In my opinion, Part IV is the best.
Friday the 13th Part IV: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: Often cited as the high-water mark for the saga, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter represents the absolute peak of 80s slasher cinema. It benefits immensely from the involvement of practical effects maestro Tom Savini, who returns to the series to deliver some of the most creatively grisly kills in Jason’s long history. Furthermore, the casting of a young Corey Feldman alongside a wonderfully bizarre Crispin Glover provides a level of charm and character depth that usually bypasses these types of body-count movies. It is a 3 star slasher that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but rather polishes the spokes to a bloody shine. It is the definitive Jason Voorhees experience for those looking to celebrate Friday the 13th with the best the series has to offer.
Details: Director: Joseph Zito | Cast: Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Kimberly Beck, Ted White | Runtime: 1h 31m | Release Date: 13 April 1984
Best for: Slasher enthusiasts, fans of 80s practical effects, and anyone looking for the most “complete” entry in the Friday the 13th saga.
Worth noting: Despite the title, this was only the fourth of twelve films in the franchise, though it was genuinely intended to be the end at the time of production.
Where to Watch: Amazon🛒, Paramount+
Rating: 3/5 Stars
(Great Savini effects, memorable cast, peak 80s slasher tropes)
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