Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- foreboding
- visceral
- paranoid
- horror movie night
- late night viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the reboot competently made and intermittently effective as a slasher, but formulaic, shallow, and disappointing compared with the franchise's legacy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The abandoned summer camp, surrounding woods, and nearby cabins confine the characters while Jason stalks them.
The campers hear the story of the 1980 murders and Jason's return before the legend becomes an immediate threat.
Jason's murderous identity is linked to his mother's grief over his drowning and his perceived neglect by camp counselors.
The film reintroduces Jason and the Crystal Lake mythology while drawing on elements associated with the franchise's early entries.
Films like Friday the 13th, and why
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Shares the cabin-in-the-woods setting, masked killer, isolated young-adult victims, and conventional slasher structure.
Halloween
Shares a rebooted slasher premise, graphic killings, rural isolation, and an inexorable human killer pursuing young adults.
Sleepaway Camp
Shares the teen-camp setting, ensemble victim structure, killer mythology, and escalating survival horror.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Shares the self-aware revival of a classic horror property, brutal set pieces, and a relentless killer stalking young people.
Movie Details
- Director
- Marcus Nispel
- Release Date
- 2009-02-11
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (2943)
Cast
- Jared Padalecki
- Travis Van Winkle
- Danielle Panabaker
- Amanda Righetti
- Aaron Yoo
- Derek Mears
- Julianna Guill
- Arlen Escarpeta
- Ben Feldman
- Richard Burgi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Friday the 13th about?
- A relentless masked killer turns a search for a missing sister into a blood-soaked fight for survival around Crystal Lake.
- What is Friday the 13th like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Friday the 13th as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Friday the 13th violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Friday the 13th as graphic.
- What did critics think of Friday the 13th?
- Critics broadly found the reboot competently made and intermittently effective as a slasher, but formulaic, shallow, and disappointing compared with the franchise's legacy.
- Which films are like Friday the 13th?
- Films with a similar feel include The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, Sleepaway Camp, and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- How long is Friday the 13th?
- Friday the 13th runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Friday the 13th?
- In United States, Friday the 13th streams on AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC.
