By Ned Jordan
Jason, mother is talking to you again. She wants you to wake up from that
horrid final blow that the survivor from your last rampage delivered unto you
and seek out revenge against anyone that dares to set foot into the Camp Crystal
Lake area. Make mother proud. That's my good boy, good Jason. After a while of
watching the Friday the 13th series, you start to notice that this is the setup
for just about every sequel that comes after Part 2.
Friday the 13 Part 3 takes place very shortly after Part 2. Much like Part 2
showcased the final moments of the original, Part 3 reminds us of the last chase
sequence in Part 2. No machete blow to the back can keep Jason down for the
count. Jason has lost his cloth bag that covered his face in Part 2 and ventures
around half of the movie without a mask, but that soon changes about midway
through when he dons the famous hockey mask that will go on to be his most
recognized feature for the remainder of the series. Not only is this the first
installment with his new face apparel but it also shows why he has that cut in
the upper left portion of his mask in many of the other sequels.
In Part 3, another group of unruly counselors venture into the Camp Crystal
Lake area while on a camping trip. Unlike Part 2, the characters in Part 3 are
slightly more interesting and aren't there to simply die. Part 3 has quite a few
deaths in it and they take place throughout the movie rather than waiting until
a good bit of the movie is over unlike Part 2. The majority of the film was
originally showcased in 3-D back when it was originally released and this DVD
version has both the 2-D and 3-D versions of the movie. The package includes two
pairs of the 3-D glasses for the 3-D version.
Whether the movie is watched in 2-D or 3-D, it still holds up well as a good
slasher experience. The 3-D features feel rather thrown in most of the time,
with characters placing objects close to the screen or having an object suddenly
fly toward the camera. The main 3-D experience is showcased with the characters
appearing to stand out from the background for the most part. The film is just
as enjoyable in 2-D since the 3-D appearance is not really that emphasized.
Even though the front of the box mentions that this film is mastered in high
definition, I found it to be much like its original VHS quality really. The film
can look quite grainy the majority of the time and the camera never really does
showcase a clean and crisp image. When compared to the fine extras that were
placed on Part 1 and 2's DVD release, Part 3 is really lacking when it comes to
special features. The only special feature included in this installment is the
original trailer from when the film was first released. The 2-D and 3-D versions
of the movie must have taken up all the room I suppose.
Part 3 is one of the more important sequels in the series since it
establishes the Jason image that we will come to know for the remainder of the
series. The final chase scene is just as long but not quite as memorable as the
past installments, but there are quite a few tributes to the original here and
there in this movie. Jason even reenacts one of his mother's famous killings
from the original. It's a worthy pickup for a horror fan and the movie itself is
actually slightly better overall than Part 2, but the grainy picture and lack of
special features bring it right back down to Part 2's level.
Final Rating:
