Jason X (2001) – Film Review

Director: Jim Isaac
Cast: Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder
Certificate: 15

By Roger Crow

There’s something that happens to franchises once they reach the ninth or tenth movie. Writers, desperate to push things to the max, decide to launch their heroes, or anti-heroes, into orbit. It happened with The Fast and the Furious saga in film nine, and in 2021, Jason Vorhees also found himself lost in space.

In a spin on Demolition Man, the Friday the 13th serial killer (who seems to have the same regenerative powers as EastEnders’ evergreen Kathy Beale) is trapped in a cryo tube in 2010, while alluring heroine Rowan gets stabbed because she stands far to close to his closed pod. She too winds up being frozen until the 25th century.

“Lot of fun”

Naturally a defrosted Jason wreaks havoc, while Rowan explains things while avoiding the unstoppable killer.

Special effects supervisor Jim Isaac clearly has a ball with the gore and gadgets, which are reminiscent of 1980s Blake’s 7. Franchise veteran Kane Hodder potters about wielding his massive chopper (no laughing please), and the tension is almost non-existent.

But unlike some of the predecessors, there are times this is a lot of fun, with foghorn-worthy references to Alien; one character is actually called Dallas (played by Todd Farmer, who also penned the screenplay).

“Nail in a coffin”

I’m gobsmacked that it’s 24 years since I last saw this cheap and cheerful horror romp, and the fact I barely remember a thing about it helps enormously as it’s like watching the movie for the first time.

At a cost of $11-$14million, the fact Jason X grossed a mere $17million dealt the saga a massive blow, and the series sort of burnt out until the awful Freddy vs Jason smackdown in 2003, and equally inevitable remake in 2009.

As a nail in a coffin, Jason X is an intriguing and often very silly horror fantasy that clocks in around the 90 mins mark, which is perfect for the material. Picture quality is pretty good on the latest release, though the 2001 CG effects often look cheesier than a ripe Camembert.

Roger Crow( Writer )

Adopted Yorkshireman Roger Crow developed a passion for film and TV in the 1970s and 1980s. He has been a published film and TV reviewer since the 1990s; a world travel and restaurant critic since the noughties, and for the past decade has assessed the pros and cons of live gigs and theatre productions around the UK. His ideal day would involve reviewing a performance of Bat Out of Hell, followed by a Pad Thai while being serenaded by Texas on a cruise around Europe.
crowsfeat.com

You do not have any posts.