Friday the 13th Part VII - The New Blood

There's a legend around here. A killer buried, but NOT dead. Jason Voorhees is unintentionally revived from his watery grave by a girl with telekinetic powers. And so the Friday the 13th bandwagon rolled on for another sequel, a part 7, that once again pitches the unlikable Voorhees against a number of annoying teen types. Those involved here deserve some respect for at least trying to add some impetus to the flagging series, here by way of a gimmick, that of a telekinetic foe played by Lar Park-Lincoln, but ultimately it just ends up same old same old. In fact it's a considerable step down from the more fun and funky part 6. The telekinetic issue becomes something of a side-bar, which is annoying as there's a potentially great thread involving a devious doctor (Terry Kiser) that never reaches the heights it should have. There's a little thought in the writing as regards grief management, but ultimately all hope of something more substantial gives way to Voorhees slicing and dicing kids we don't care about anyway. We could watch the first 3 films if we wanted that again. A decent confrontation fight at the finale saves it from stinkerville, but really it's a weak sequel that offers nothing to warrant it being made in the first place. 4/10

I know a lot of die-hard horror fans who hold _The New Blood_ as either their favourite _Friday the 13th_ movie since the original, or even just straight up their favourite _Friday the 13th_ movie. Personally though, _The New Blood_ is the franchise low. It's arguably the most ridiculous, but that isn't the problem for me. The problem is that they take something that ridiculous, and then treat it so seriously, and riding that line doesn't work with _Friday the 13th_ for me. The older and more grounded first few movies I dig, and then the absurd but having fun with it movies that came later I dig, but _Part VII_ simultaneously doesn't try to be either of those things, and falls apart from the word go. _Final rating:★½: - Boring/disappointing. Avoid where possible._