Friday the 13th Part 2
Friday the 13th Part 2
Five years after the events of the first film, a summer camp next to the infamous Camp Crystal Lake is preparing to open, but the legend of Jason is weighing heavy on the proceedings.
Jacob O’Neal reviewedJune 12, 2025
After a lengthy recap and dispatching the survivor of the first film (setting up a strange trend in horror movies - kill the previous survivor before opening credits. It worked for Irpn Eagle 2) Jason finally arrives! But he’s burlap sack Jason till 1982. He’s not iconic hockey mask Jason till part 3.
The plot is simple - fill 90 minutes with blood, breasts and a killer about become an icon. Open with an extended flashback to save money on film…and it keeps the script lean. Introduce the victims…I mean characters. Chase and kill said victims. Jason is defeated. Story ends. This one did feel more like an extended cat mouse kind of chase film, though. It felt very relentlessly paced, where you blink and could miss something cool. So it had that going for it.
Steve Miner stepped in to direct the sequel and did well. Betsy Palmer even came back for a brief cameo as Jason’s mother, a role she cared so little about that she actually forgot she was in it. This movie is not flat. The pacing keeps it from feeling dull. However, there are problems with the film. I’m not gonna criticize the acting. It’s a low budget 80’s horror film. You don’t go in expecting Meryl Streep level work. The biggest problem is that it really didn’t make sense to have Jason show up. How did he survive for so many years on his own? I know the movie tried to explain it, but it was not handled with care. Another complaint is the near cookie cutter plot it shared with the first film from the initial set up to Ralph warning the campers about the “death curse”.
There were things I liked about the movie. I loved the kills. They may have copied the plot, but they were creative with displaying the teens in the movie. I’m also a red blooded American male who appreciates the female form, and there is much to appreciate here, not as much as 4 or 5, but some really worthwhile moments to appreciate the finer things. Finally, as a fan of The Town That Dreaded Sundown, I appreciated the burlap sack in the film. It was a nice not to an early slasher. I’m glad the sack was replaced in part 3. Jason wouldn’t have risen to the heights he had without the hockey mask. Enough said about this movie. It’s worth it if you’re a fan. It’s not going to convert anyone, but for fans of the genre, you’ll find a lot to appreciate.