A.V. Opinions: Why Jason Goes to Hell deserves a second look
When you stack up the Friday the 13th movies, most fans have their go-to favorite. For me, it’s a toss up between Part III, which finally gave Jason his iconic hockey mask, and The New Blood, which plays like the Jason versus Carrie showdown we never officially got. But tucked away in the franchise, sitting like an oddball cousin at the family reunion, is Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday. It’s a movie I didn’t fully appreciate when it came out, but over time I‘ce come to see it as one of the most creative swings in the series.
When Jason Goes to Hell hit theaters, I was right there with the majority of fans thinking, what is this. Jason was barely in the movie, at least not in the hulking, hockey-masked form we all signed up for. Instead, we got body-swapping mayhem and long stretches without seeing the big guy at all. I remember wishing they had thrown in more mirror shots or clever visuals that let us at least see Jason’s reflection when his essence was inside another character. Because when you go to a Jason flick, you want Jason front and center with his hockey mask and machete.
As the years rolled on, and especially after getting the chance to interview director Adam Marcus, I started to realize just how bold this movie was. By the time Jason Goes to Hell landed, the franchise was nine entries deep. How many times can you send him back to the same campground? Eventually, something has to change. Marcus and the crew knew they couldn’t just repeat the formula. They swung for the fences, and while it alienated plenty of fans, it also injected some fresh, bizarre energy into Jason’s mythology.
One of the things that makes me love Jason Goes to Hell now are the Easter eggs and connective tissue Marcus wove into it. The Kandarian Dagger, the Necronomicon, yes the Necronomicon. Suddenly, fans could start theorizing that Jason was not just some random, unstoppable slasher, but a Deadite of sorts, resurrected by his mother through the Book of the Dead. Maybe not a traditional Deadite, but a cursed being with supernatural powers tied to Evil Dead lore. That theory alone makes the movie a blast to rewatch with fresh eyes.
And the ending still gives me chills. Whatever you thought of the rest of the movie, the theater erupted when Freddy’s glove burst from the dirt and dragged Jason’s mask to hell. That single moment delivered goosebumps, laughter, and pure hype all at once. It was an unforgettable tease for Freddy vs Jason, which I will always love.
There are other things worth pointing out. Creighton Duke, the bounty hunter, is one of the most slept-on characters in the franchise. He has a larger-than-life presence that makes you wish he had been given more screen time. Then there’s the cut footage of Demon Jason, an insane practical effect that was dropped but can still be found in behind-the-scenes material and on YouTube. An unrated cut that restores that scene would be horror fan gold.
The truth is Jason Goes to Hell is not a comfort-food Friday the 13th movie. It is weird. It is messy. It’s not even my favorite. But it’s creative, and it took real chances at a point when the franchise could have coasted on formula. It dared to shake things up, and because of that, it deserves a second look, especially during spooky season.
So if you haven't revisited it in a while, give Jason Goes to Hell another spin this Halloween. Look for the Evil Dead Easter eggs and appreciate a different take on the Jason mythology.
-Brad McBoom