Spooky Season 2022: Freddy Vs. Jason Review

Seeing these two horror legends go toe to toe is something horror fans could have only dreamt of until Freddy vs. Jason came along. Thankfully, it delivers everything fans expected and then some. Presenting a fairly creative story, the film more than justifies its premise that saw the two icons battling it out. The kills are brutal and memorable and their inevitable brawl is simply epic. While it may be a little rough around the edges, the film nonetheless offers an awesome slasher movie experience.

Freddy Krueger (Englund) has lost most of his power since the citizens of Elm Street are now less afraid of him. As a result, Krueger turns to Jason Voorhees (Kirziger) to go on a killing spree to force the citizens to become afraid of Krueger again. However, when Jason won’t stop butchering Freddy’s victims, their dynamic quickly becomes more combative.

Don’t expect Freddy vs. Jason to be a smart, ground-breaking slasher because the film is anything but. Instead, it is a cheesy, yet entertaining ride that fans of both franchises and slasher movies as a whole should adore. The story offers a somewhat creative and satisfying reason to justify itself. That being said, its formulaic and thin plot still feels sadly forgettable.

The battle of the two titular titans is nothing short of epic. Its exciting, brutal, well-choreographed and surprisingly well shot for an action scene at the time. Unfortunately, the only downside to this battle which can easily be overlooked is how the titans get hurled around from one place to another. It is easy to see how this may be perceived as lazy which could have been alleviated by some tighter choreography. A moment fans have been eagerly waiting to see, it truly does not disappoint. As mentioned, the kills are brutal and instantly memorable, seeing each horror icon kill their victims in their own unique ways is exciting and satisfying.

There isn’t much to say about the film’s cast or their performances despite the main cast of victims delivering fine performances for characters that are albeit incredibly forgettable. However, Englund is always a delight on screen as Freddy Krueger, once again bringing fun and energy that makes it incredibly difficult not to love him. The film for the most part has an odd sense of nostalgia to it for a horror film during a time where nobody expected to find themselves so connected to. 

At the end of the day, Freddy vs. Jason more than fulfills its promise to viewers. The film is without a doubt cheesy, formulaic and a little rough around the edges, but in an odd way, those flaws only work in the film’s favor, resulting in an astonishingly entertaining slasher.

*still courtesy of New Line Cinema*

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Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.