Friday The 13th Part 8: Jason takes Manhattan

Release year/ 1989/Paramount Pictures

Directed by Rob Hedden

Starring: Kane Hodder, Jensen Dagget, Barbara Bingham

Running time: 100 minutes {Jeez.....}

Rated: R {For rotten}

                              The name of the film doesnt even make sense. Jason doesnt even reach Manhattan until almost the end of the film, and it is really filmed in Canada.

   Never has a Friday The 13th film felt less cinematic and more hokey than in this dreadful installment, mercifully the last one released in the 1980's. Even the so-called ''horror'' scenes are poorly executed. In one scene, Jason cracks a Madonna wanna-be over the head with a guitar, and the blood splatters the camera lens BEFORE the fatal blow even connects.

Retake, Mr. Director?

NOPE! That's a print! On with the show!!

              In another sequence, {a ''horror'' sequence, remember!} Jason chokes a girl, breaking her neck as well. But, there is no blood, no snapping bones, now gore whatsoever in this scene, and the victim - she is being killed, remember - doesnt even scream. No fighting back, not even dying in a realistic fashion.

Retake, Mr special effects man?

Nope! On with the show.....

                  No, wait a minute; I think I will just jump ahead to the ending.

  The ending is unbelievably ludicrous; for some unexplained reason, toxic waste has been dumped into the sewer systems {although there are no large, walkable, underground sewer systems in Toronto, wait, I mean Manhattan} and Jason accidently falls into the toxic soup and - get this! - it ''transforms'' him into a scrawny, teenage Jason wearing swimming trunks.

    WHY did the toxic waste turn Jason into a teenager?

WHERE did the swimming trunks come from?

WHY is there toxic waste in the sewers? WHY in the hell did this film have to last 100 minutes?

HOW in the hell did Paramount Picture's premier horror franchise got from top-of-the-line to this cheaply produced, hokey ass movie?

HOW in the hell did I manage to sit through the whole thing without storming out of the theatre in disgust? THe answers to these questions still remain a mystery to me to this day. What an absolute disgrace of a film, and what a sad way for the iconic Jason to end the 80s.

My grade: F

Fright meter: F

MY rating: R - for ROTTEN.