03 August 2013

Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) - REVIEW


1988 was a great year for horror and more noteably a great year for horror sequels.  Some famous sequels that found fame this year included: Phantasm II, Nightmare on Elm Street 4, and Halloween 4 which featured the return of Michael Myers to the big screen.  Part 7 had stiff competition but the franchise was coming off a successful Part 6 which was the return of Jason.  With a little known that worked out great together on screen and a new person to don the Jason apparel it was poised to be a box office hit.

Tina (Lar Park Lincoln) and her mother (Susan Blu) were on their way to their cabin on crystal lake were Tina's Father died when they were younger.  He died when the dock he was on collapsed because of Tina's Psychic ability.  At the cabin Dr Crews (Terry Kiser) , Tina's doctor from the mental hospital, was waiting for them.  Dr Crews unbeknownst to Tina and her Mother had a secret agenda for the weekend and that was to see what he could push Tina to do with her abilites.  Tina dislikes the doctor quite a bit and after an argument runs outside to the dock where her Father died and tries to use her powers to bring him back but instead she raises Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) from his watery grave were Tommy Jarvis had put him.  Jason is alive again and had plenty of targets this time with Tina's cabin and the party of teenagers going on at the cabin next to it.  Who will survive the bloodbath this time?

The New Blood is probably my second favorite sequel in the series.  One of this installments strongest points was its cast.  Lar Park Lincoln was wonderful as the lead/final girl and Kevin Blair (or whatever name he goes by now) and Kane Hodder were great in supporting roles.  This was the Kane's first time as Jason and unlike anyone else who wore the mask or the one eyed sack he is the only person to play Jason through multiple sequels.  The story was also pretty solid.  I mean when you get to Part 7 ideas have to be running out on how to bring something fresh to the series but they found it with the Carrie vs Jason battle.  This is an opponent that Jason has never faced before and is obviously his biggest test yet.

I do enjoy the death scenes in this one more than the rest as well.  Each installment they keep coming up with new ways for Jason to maul his victims and they always look great.  I would have liked to have seen an unedited scene of the sleeping bag death in the finished film but the one hit is effective too I guess.   I would rank The New Blood right up there with some of the best horror films out there and not just to the ones that were released in 1988.  It's not often when a mass murderer does not have the upper hand against his or her victim.  I give this film 8 out of 10 stars.  Stay twisted everyone!



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