In Western culture, Friday the 13th, regardless of the month, is associated with tragedy. Throughout history, superstition has flourished, and it is thought to be a forerunner of bad luck.
It is backed by biblical beliefs that Fridays were the days when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Noah’s ark sank during the Great Flood, and Cain murdered his brother, Abel. The number 13 is considered unlucky in Norse mythology because Loki is said to have disrupted a feast in Valhalla, becoming the gods’ thirteenth deity. Following his deception, the blind deity Hodr assassinated his brother, Balder, the god of light, gladness, and goodness. With the date and number combined, Friday the 13th has become a horrific, unlucky day. However, the belief is merely a superstition.
The superstition, on the other hand, is heavily promoted by Friday the 13th horror films, which keep their audiences on the edge of their seats. Here are five of the top Friday the 13th movies according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy vs. Jason is a masterpiece in its own right, and is considered one of the best films in the Friday the 13th franchise.
In the film, Voorhees, history’s most known villain, battles Freddy Krueger, another notorious serial murderer. After the locals stop fearing Kreuger, who attacks his victims in their dreams, he loses his power.
Kreuger resurrects Voorhees in the wake of his defeat, but things quickly spiral out of control when the mask-wearing madman kills Kreuger’s intended prey.
The film was released in theaters in 2003 and grossed $116.6 million. The Rotten Tomatoes ratings, on the other hand, cast doubt on its performance. It has a Tomatometer score of 41 percent and a 50 percent audience score.
Part VII: The New Blood
It’s no surprise that the Friday the 13th films are masters at reawakening Voorhees and releasing him on a murderous spree. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, released in 1988, follows a similar premise.
This time, the protagonist, Tina Shepard (Lar Park Lincoln), utilizes her telekinetic skills inadvertently to awaken the enemy from its slumber. As a result, the plot follows her as she attempts to stop the tragedy. The film has a Tomatometer score of 33 percent and a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 37 percent.
Part VI: Jason Lives
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives is the franchise’s sixth installment. The film brought the terrible villain Voorhees back to life with its one-and-a-half-hour structure. In the final episode, the protagonist, Tommy Jarvis, played by Thom Mathews, killed the antagonist.
He goes Voorhees’ grave to cremate the body as a result of the trauma, but an electrical mishap resurrects the deceased, making the audience’s blood run cold. Despite the fact that the premise follows a similar plotline, the film is worth seeing for its insider comedy and dramatic brutality.
The film received a 48 percent Tomatometer and a 52 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. There are a total of 27 reviews.
Friday the 13th Part 2
Steve Miner directed Friday the 13th Part 2 after the popularity of the original picture. The premise of the film is similar to that of the last installment, with a group of teen would-be campers being plagued by Voorhees on Camp Crystal Lake once more.
Despite being rated as one of the best films by Rotten Tomatoes, it failed to impress reviewers and fans alike. It has a Tomatometer rating of 28 percent and a somewhat better audience rating of 48 percent.
Friday the 13th
1980s Friday the 13th is a classic slasher, a forerunner to the Friday the 13th franchise, created by Sean S. Cunningham. The film follows Jason Voorhees, a hockey-masked killer, as he cuts, shoots, and stabs a bunch of young counselors at Crystal Lake. In the film, Ari Lehman played the cruel villain.
The film would be a good viewing because of its gore, which promises to give its audience the creeps. On Rotten Tomatoes, Friday the 13th has a 60 percent audience rating and a 64 percent Tomatometer rating, with 55 reviews.
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