Freddy vs Jason

Tag Line : Every Killer has something to fear.

Freddy vs Jason After many years of speculation, the long awaited showdown every "Friday the 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" series fan had been waiting for FINALLY arrived in 2003 under the imaginatively titled name "Freddy vs. Jason".

Set at some point presumably after the 6th Elm Street film "Freddy's Dead" and ninth Friday film "Jason Goes to Hell" (ignoring the fictional "Wes Craven's New Nightmare" and prior to the events of "Jason X"), Freddy Kruger (Robert Englund) is trapped in Hell, and unable to escape through his usual method of entering through children's dreams, because it seems no-one on Elm Street remembers him.

Not withstanding, he manages to resurrect fellow psycho killer Jason Voorhees (played here by Ken Kirzinger), who's similarly trapped in his own hell, and despatches him to Elm Street knowing that another bloodbath will ensue. Now, I wasn't aware that Elm Street and Crystal Lake where so close. But anyway, a few bloody murders later and sure enough the old stories about Freddy Kruger are being whispered about, and Freddy finds himself able to get back upto his old tricks again.

Teenager Will Rollins (Jason Ritter), a former Elm Street survivor who's since been committed to a mental institution, gets to hear about the killings and so breaks out with a friend of his, hoping to rescue his former girlfriend Lori (Monica Keena) who still lives in the old neighbourhood. Hooking back up with Lori and some other friends (one of which being Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child) they attempt to work out what's going on and how to stop Freddy.

However, they soon realise that it's not actually Freddy doing the killing, and when Jason doesn't stop his murderous rampage Freddy decides he's had enough and hatches his own plan to get rid of him. This is where the fun really begins, as all hell breaks loose and the blood and gore flow by the bucket load as the two titans clash in a spectacular series of punch-ups as Jason is forced to fight Freddy in the dream world and then, thanks to the teenagers, Freddy ends up fighting Jason on his turf.

Whilst Jason gets his fare share of screen time and kills, I rather got the impression that the script was for a proposed Elm Street film that they re-wrote to include Jason from Friday the 13th in as this is most definitely a "Freddy" film. I also share the same view of many Friday the 13th fans that Jason should have been played by series regular Kane Hodder, rather than choosing some other stuntman. But anyway, this is still a "bloody" good laugh and worth watching even if just to see Kelly Rowland meeting a gory demise (why can't that happen in real life?).

Overall Marks : 6/10.

Other Information.

Kane Hodder, who had played Jason in Friday the 13th parts 7-10 offered to reprise his role, but for no apparent reason the producers, who were the people behind the previous Nightmare on Elm Street films, decide to cast Canadian stuntman Ken Kirzinger in the role. There have been many theories as to why they chose not to re-use Hodder, the most popular one appears to be that Director Ronnie Yu wanted someone much-much taller who would tower over Freddy, like in "David and Goliath". Another, much simpler, theory is that as the film was being produced by the Elm Street crew, they cared little for the Friday the 13th aspect of things and as they were shooting in Canada thought it to be easier to just hire a local stuntman.
Katherine Isabelle, who plays Gibb, also played Ginger Fitzgerald in "Ginger Snaps". Originally Gibb was to have been played by actress Lauren Lee Smith, with Katherine Isabelle in another role. But when her character was written out, they recast her as Gibb, favouring her over Smith.
Jason Bateman and Brad Renfro were both offered the role of Will, but the part eventually went to Jason Ritter.
Small but interesting plot hole, in previous movies Freddy's blood was Green, and Jason's was black. In this, both their blood is red.
Apparently one of the earlier drafts ended with them fighting beneath the grounds of Camp Crystal Lake, when suddenly chains fly out of the darkness and tie them up. Then Pinhead from Hellraiser walks in a says "Now Gentlemen, what seems to be the problem?". Pity they didn't use that ending.
Ken Kirzinger, who played Jason this time round, had appeared in "Jason Takes Manhattan"
The test screenings used to show preview audiences omitted the final ending and just had the words "On August 15th, 2003 see the final sixty seconds and see who has survived...and what is left of them."
Director Ronny Yu also directed "Bride of Chucky". He apparently originally turned down the directing job as the script didn't say who won, but changed his mind after producer Robert Shaye said he could make that decision himself.