8. Friday the 13th (2009)
Lately every successful and paramount horror film needs a 21st century polish; even if that means stripping it of that veneer that made it unique in the first place. Directed by remake king Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Conan the Barbarian), Friday the 13th takes a formula moulded by the likes of Danny Boyle and Zack Snyder – the faster the better – and sends it to camp. The result is a remake that is unbridled in its ferocity, as Jason rampages at break-neck speeds towards a group of collegiate weekenders.
When Jason is on screen – a much more nimble Derek Mears – there’s an intensity that feels as if it’s grabbing the camera. Combining elements from the first four films, Friday the 13th works at aligning its audience rather than alienating them, making sure there’s a familiarity for those who grew up Voorhees. Beating at the core is a genuinely heartfelt search for a missing sister that layers as much sympathy as Jason’s extended backstory does, allowing us to examine a one-dimensional character in new ways.
While it looks and sounds like another cash grab, Friday the 13th carries with it an exhilarating pulse that reverberates through years of reckless recurrence.