How many ways are there to say teenagers getting slaughtered is boring? Because I think I’m running out. Contrary to the exotic setting the title suggests, Friday The 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is more dull and bland than the original.

Jason sneaks onto a cruise ship that’s heading to New York (Crystal Lake leads there apparently) and kills most of the crew. A small party manages to escape and flee to New York, unaware that Jason is following them.

What I Was Expecting

I was expecting something pretty bad. For starters I knew that the majority of the film didn’t take place in New York but on the cruise ship. So I just anticipated another Friday The 13^th but on a boat. Perhaps the setting might spice up the plot I wondered, make it a little more entertaining.

Regardless of how bland and repetitive the film would be, at least I could look forward to all the scenes that’re shown off in the trailers. You know, the bits that’re actually in New York.

What I Got

Pretty much what I expected but in greater amounts. The plot doesn’t reach New York until over an hour into the film. For perspective, Jason Takes Manhattan is a hundred minutes long and less than half is actually in New York. Is the smaller latter half worth enduring for the former longer one? Absolutely not. There’re a few funny bits of Jason wandering around Time Square and interacting with locals but you’re better off seeing them as clips on YouTube.

Some of the characters I found to be intriguing, on paper. Our main protagonist is Rennie, an orphan girl who was brought up by her uncle, who just happens to be one of the teachers that’re accompanying the graduates on their cruise. The history between Rennie and her uncle, along with the revelations that emerge about them, seem to have had a lot of thought put into them. I didn’t care about them but maybe if written differently, they could’ve been more affective as characters.

Excepting that tiny nugget of potential, Jason Takes Manhattan has few highlights. Some of the kills, while bloodless, are creative. The bit of Jason in Times Square is quite funny. Jason’s demise, while poorly executed, is at least original and if done better could’ve been tense. After all the scene does have our heroes not only trying to evade Jason but a flood of toxic waste.

Beyond the funny clips and interesting ideas, Jason Takes Manhattan might be the worst Friday The 13^th I’ve seen, which takes some doing considering its high concept setting.

I Give Friday The 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan a poor 2 out of 10.