Friday The 13th: Jason's Legacy is a 2015 American slasher film directed and produced by Sean S. Cunningham and written by Thomas Trenton, the creators of the original Friday series. It was released on August 13, 2015. The film was dedicated to the memory of Betsy Palmer.
Once again Trenton assumed the role of Jason Voorhees, playing him as an older man- 34 years after the events of the third film. With a retcon, the story creates an alternate timeline in which Jason never escaped (prior to part 4) from the Unger Institute. His other rampages, death and subsequent resurrection as an undead creature never took place.
Trenton and Cunningham enjoyed collaborating for the previous entry and Trenton was inspired to write a new story after researching the Beltway Snipers for a cancelled project. He also experienced a series of nightmares that helped form the story as it was written. Convincing Cunningham that a more intimate, psychological story was the right angle after the box-office spectacle of Jason vs Jason X vs Jason, Cunningham agreed to produce. Trenton would later convince him to direct the film, the only other entry in the series to be directed by Cunningham since the original.
Despite the success of Jason vs Jason X vs Jason, New Line Cinema passed on the option to release the finished film and for the first time since 1989, an entry in the Friday series was released solely by Paramount Pictures. Nowhere the success of the previous film, the film still received some positive reviews from film critics, and grossed over $46 million at the box office in the United States, and went on to become one of the more profitable films of the series.
Bruce Greenwood, Julie Michaels and Betsy Palmer returned to play their respective roles of Sheriff Parks, Elizabeth Marcus and Pamela Voorhees. This film would mark the last performance of Betsy Palmer who died on May 29, 2015 of natural causes.
Plot[]
34 years after the events of the third film, Jason Voorhees is incarcerated at the Unger Institute for Mental Health. He has been tried for his crimes and found guilty, but in lieu of being sent to prison, he has been receiving treatment for his hallucinations.
After a nightmare where he's pursued by his murderous alter-ego (hockey mask and all) and apparitions of his mother, Jason spends the day meeting with Sheriff William Parks. Parks has been Jason's strongest supporter and has made it a habit to visit once a week to ensure his progress. Dr. Peter Markham, Jason's court-appointed psychiatrist, is equally confident that Jason might one day be fit to re-enter society. The chief of staff, Dr. Dean Bicondova is against the possibility of Jason's release, though he vows to always be fair in any hearings on the matter.
Meanwhile Camp Crystal Lake has been open for five years by new owners Carl Williams and his wife Sandra, and the legacy left behind by Pamela and Jason Voorhees long forgotten. The current batch of counselors include Rick, Lisa, Amy, Dennis, David, Carmen and "Billie." For the most part life at the summer camp is good, save for two boys Kenny and Eric who are troublemakers and take pleasure in tormenting one particular boy, also named Jason. Besides comparing him to Jason Voorhees and his murderous legend, they are determined to stop a girl named Patty from being friends with him.
Kenny and Eric attempt to play a practical joke on Jason (Gillan) which backfires and almost kills the boy. Parks tries to shut down the camp, but Williams manages to convince him not to. Eric and Kenny are isolated in the main cabin, awaiting the arrival of their parents. Jason (Gillan) is sent to the nearby Crystal Lake Memorial for treatment, but returns shortly thereafter.
Meanwhile Elizabeth Marcus (now retired from the FBI) arrives for Jason's current parole hearing, not on Parks' side in regards to his release. Jason himself, too scared to re-enter the world, refuses parole telling Parks "I'm not ready." Having not been told of the incident at Crystal Lake, Jason is horrified when a news broadcast erroneously reports that a boy has been killed at the camp. All progress made is washed away as he escapes confinement, recovers his hockey mask from Bicondova's office, killing the man in the process and two orderlies. Jason immediately sets out for the camp, killing a couple to steal their car.
Parks, with Marcus tagging along, arrives at Unger Institute and quickly realize what's happened, learning about the TV broadcast from a surviving orderly and another patient. Marcus criticizes Parks for not telling Jason what had happened, but he is too focused on returning Jason back to the hospital.
At the camp, Jason arrives to see that everything is normal. His murderous intentions quickly leave him and he prepares to return to his imprisonment. Hiding in a remote shack, he befriends his namesake and Patty while they aid in hiding him from the police who arrive to search the area. Williams takes offence to the thought of closing the camp down and threatens legal action. Jason is not found and Parks is forced to abandon the campsite by a direct order from the mayor.
That night Jason is almost discovered by Eric and Kenny who have escaped their confinement to get revenge on Jason (Gillan). When Counselor David shows up, Jason kills him and frightens the two boys causing them to flee the camp altogether. In the morning Williams learns of their disappearance, and is forced to call Parks.
Another search of the camp yields nothing, as Jason has left the area with Jason (Gillan) and Patty. The two are not afraid of him, and treat him with a respect he has yet to encounter. Upon their return, the two are taken into custody, but again they shield Jason from capture. As night falls Jason rejects a hallucination of his mother and prepares to surrender, dropping his mask on the floor symbolically. Before he can, he spots Amy and Dennis walking off to be alone and discuss their relationship. Dennis proposes marriage and after she accepts, they kiss. Misreading the situation, Jason flies into a rage and kills them both.
Jason has lost his mind and begins to kill everyone he encounters. Head Counselor Rick is killed first, then Lisa, Carmen and finally Billie. Jason then strangles Sandra Williams and engages in a fist fight with Williams, before finally ramming a knife into his skull. Meanwhile Parks locates the two missing boys, covered in blood and in shock. They tell him that "Jason Voorhees" killed David and Parks heads back to the camp with Marcus.
The kids begin to notice that the adults are missing and Jason (Gillan) heads off to find Jason, with Patty following. They begin to find the corpses of his victims, Patty becoming more scared with each discovery. Jason (Gillan) doesn't seem as bothered by it. Parks and Marcus arrive and begin a search for Jason, finding the two kids instead in the main cabin. Jason appears above them on the second level and Parks implores Jason to surrender who simply bellows down to them; "They all deserved it!"
Marcus opens fire on him, but fails to hit him. Marcus runs up the staircase in pursuit, forcing Parks to retreat to his vehicle, to protect the kids. Marcus begins a search of the upstairs, finding more bodies and then engages in a fight with Jason. Jason kills her and then throws her body over the railing as Parks returns. Jason jumps down and begins to fight with Parks, until the untimely arrival of Patty and Jason (Gillan) distracts Jason long enough to be killed by decapitation by Parks.
In a parallel to the original film, Jason (Gillan) approaches Parks uttering the line "I'm sorry." Parks soon realizes he's referring to Jason, but not before Jason (Gillan) uses a knife to stab Parks in the throat, killing him, while Patty screams out in terror.
In the morning, the camp has been closed by the police, the kids are being bused out and Markham sadly takes guardianship of Jason (Gillan) who is emotionless and quiet. When Markham asks him why he did it, Jason replies; "I had to do it. It's what he wanted."
Cast[]
- Thomas Trenton as Jason Voorhees
- Bruce Greenwood as Sheriff William Parks
- Betsy Palmer as Mrs. Voorhees
- Julie Michaels as Elizabeth Marcus
- Will Payne as Dr. Peter Markham
- Muse Watson as Dr. Dean Bicondova
- Ryan Lee as Jason Gillan
- Bailee Madison as Patricia "Patty" Blake
- Kane Hodder as Carl Williams
- Lili Taylor as Sandra Williams
- Spencer Treat Clark as Rick
- Ashley Bell as Lisa
- Tania Raymonde as Amy
- Scott Eastwood as Dennis
- Ansel Elgort as David
- Bella Thorne as Carmen
- Kelli Giddish as Billie
- Alexander Gould as Eric
- Jake T. Austin as Kenny
Production[]
Development[]
| "I was working on a script about the Beltway Snipers which made me consider the possibility of Jason being the wrong kind of mentor to some sick teen. That was the seed. Then after I started to get older, and Jason became the specter of old age in my nightmares, the film's script came quickly to me." |
| — Thomas Trenton on the formation of the screenstory |
Trenton had begun research on the Beltway Snipers for a proposed feature film, though he later abandoned the idea of dramatizing the events. But the concept of a psychologically damaged mentor sending a younger disciple down the wrong path resonated in Trenton's mind. After turning 55, and facing his own mortality Trenton reported having nightmares about being chased by his own creation; Jason Voorhees.
After the success of the previous film, Trenton had a particularly disturbing dream in which he was killed by his own self in the persona of Jason. Wishing to alleviate some of this stress, Trenton conceived a new story. One that would wipe the slate clean and have Jason face his own demons and finally pay the price for his crimes.
During this time he began communicating with Sean S. Cunningham about his ideas for a new film and Cunningham agreed that a more subtle story, less spectacle could work. Cunningham encouraged Trenton's efforts while he began working out a production deal with New Line Cinema and Paramount Pictures.
Writing[]
Taking a month to write, Trenton finished the first draft on March 23, 2014. He dropped copies off with all parties involved and shortly after a production deal was signed with Paramount Pictures. New Line Cinema opted out of the making of the film for unspecified reasons, but for 5% of the box-office waived their distribution contract to Paramount and Cunningham.
Casting[]
Aside from himself, Trenton brought back former castmates Bruce Greenwood, Julie Michaels and Betsy Palmer in their respective roles. Palmer who hid her illness at the time, refused to have her part written out when first approached. Palmer and Trenton's relationship had always been strong, and he wished to give her one last hurrah in the part. Palmer relished the idea of coming back and playing the demon inside his mind similar to how she was presented in the second film.
Greenwood and Michaels liked the idea of playing their characters in a different vein as demanded by the retconning of the series' timeline. Trenton suggested they prepare themselves a detailed character background leading up to the start of the new script. Kane Hodder, a good friend of Trenton's, was brought back to play a new character, that of the new owner of Camp Crystal Lake. Hodder admitted at first he was disappointed in not being asked to play Jason, but realized as it was written "only Trenton can play his older self."
For the lead kids of Jason and Patty, Trenton suggested actors Ryan Lee and Bailee Madison whose natural repour worked well on their TV series Trophy Wife. Cunningham viewed several of their tapes before agreeing. The two auditioned at Trenton's home and received the roles within a week of that meeting.
Filming[]
Where as the previous film was considered a love letter by Trenton, he and the studio believed Cunningham should direct the film, but again Cunningham turned them down. Trenton persisted and convinced Cunningham that he was ideal for the role as director. Cunningham knew the material, had the requisite experience and Trenton's total confidence in handling the screenplay as written by the star.
As with the previous film, it was decided to shoot in the townships of Blairstown and Hope, New Jersey which were the original locations used in (September) of 1979. All camp scenes were again shot at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, with additional second unit locations in Los Angeles, California at the Paramount Ranch which stood in for "Higgins Haven" the main location for the third film.
Music[]
Cunningham and Trenton had no other composer in mind, when they asked Manfredini back as well. Cunningham requested a new score, in a slightly different style compared to previous films, but told Manfredini that he should find "inspiration" from themes in the first three Friday the 13th films. Manfredini suggested the use of a choir and Cunningham promised the budget would take that request into consideration.
The film's unconventional score would receive high praise from critics and Trenton has stated numerous times in the press, "that Manfredini's collaboration easily made the film better by 46.7%."
Release[]
Box office[]
On its opening weekend, Jason's Legacy grossed $26 million. Outpacing all previous entries to that point, save for Freddy vs Jason and Jason vs Jason X vs Jason. By the end of its run, the film grossed $46,044,069 million in North America with an additional $20,438,078 in foreign sales.
Critical reception[]
The movie received generally favorable to mixed reviews. Based on 113 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, Jason's Legacy has an overall 62% approval rating from critics, with an average score of 5.9 out of 10 saying, "Fans of this horror franchise may appreciate the attempt by Cunningham and Trenton to bring something new to the series," said one review. Variety wrote; "A slower, more psychological entry which may bore some, with less gore, no nudity and stronger characterizations. But with a lot to say about the character of Jason which has never been tackled before". On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 52 based on 76 reviews.
Home media[]
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 23, 2015. The release featured a second disc of bonus content that included: audio commentary by Thomas Trenton, Kane Hodder, Bruce Greenwood and Sean S. Cunningham, deleted and alternate scenes with commentary, trailers and TV spots, and behind the scenes featurettes.
External links[]
- Interview with Betsy Palmer on the podcast The Future and You (includes anecdotes about working on Friday the 13th)
- Official website for the friday the 13th films