Plot
A group of friends head to a local lakeside villa for a getaway. Little do they know, Jason Vorhees has just had his murderous rampage at Camp Crystal Lake… and he’s not done yet!
Direction
Steve Miner returns from Pt 2 to direct. It also starts directly where Pt 2 left off.
Like Jaws 3, which would come out the following year – this attempted the “3D” look and feel which has some… questionable moments… poor Rick…
Cast/Breakdown
Starting where #2 left off (we get to see a fair bit of the Ginny/Jason moments again), we are soon introduced a new group, not before we have to witness a bickering couple (Harold and Edna) become Jason’s next victims. For a 95 minute movie, we spend way too much time on these two moments.
The new group is a series of couples, and wannabe couples including main girl Chris, her bf Rick, the ‘of the era’ hippies (Chilli and Chuck, pregnant Debbie and her bf Andy, and the annoying prankster Shelly – who has his eye on Vera.
There is a silly early movie tension between Shelly, Vera and a biker gang – who for some reason need to intimidate the pair. They join the cannon fodder body count early on the film (and you’re not sorry to see them go.
The mid movie kill spree has some solid practical effects, and Shelly is the one who can be thanked fro giving Jason his hockey mask – which will become his look for the future movies.
There is a mid movie revelation that Jason actually sexually assaulted Chris years ago, which she is still recovering from. This gives her extra motive for her attack back on him later in the film.
The eventual Jason v Chris ‘final battle’ is pretty solid, and she has the same energy as previous final girls Alice and Ginny. Like how it takes a while to get going, it takes a while to finish too.
Overall
Solid third entry in the franchise, that pretty much is a carbon copy of the first two films.
Some changes in the formula and subversion of expectations (Shelly had it coming) – and Chris is a great final girl who has a solid third act with Jason.
Jason’s “unkillable” form is starting to take shape, which I can presume will get zanier as the series goes on.
3.5/5
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