Friday the 13th, Part V - A New Beginning

Rating:
Summary: MUCH Better Than Its Reputation
Review: Probably anybody reading this will already know the twist ending to "A New Beginning" even if they haven't seen it yet, but for those who haven't I'll refrain from saying what it is. (I wish more TV commentators would do that. Then I could have watched "The Sixth Sense" without knowing its secret. Grrr...) The twist though, was not well received by quite a few fans, and that is probably the main reason Part V is not as popular as the rest of the series. Personally, I had no problem with the ending at all. It was surprising, it was a change of pace, and it was of a nature that it didn't significantly impact the flow of the rest of the series (which, admittedly, would have been a detriment compared to the path that "Part VI" and onwards did take), but it easily remained a part of continuity with no series contradictions or complicated back-writing required.

This movie enters around a survivor of the previous chapter, now psychologically traumatized, sent to a camp for 'troubled youths'. When the familiar killings start re-occuring after an abscence of several years, the survivor is convinced that Jason is back. But that should be impossible, since the authorities insist Jason Voorhees was cremated years ago...

Different from the previous entries, not yet what the films would be from Part VI onward, "Friday The 13th: A New Beginning" is actually a quality feature-length interlude between 2 full stages of the series (although maybe 'interlude' isn't the most appropriate word. Aren't interludes supposed to be peaceful and serene?) One of the most under-appreciated films I've encountered.