This film, like some of the previous ones, was filmed under the script "Ashes to Ashes" to disguise its real nature as a Friday the 13th film. Director and writer Rob Hadden had been involved with the TV series based on the show, and was hired by Frank Manusco on that ground, though with the condition that he take Jason out of Crystal Lake. Manusco had suggested New York City. Hadden originally written more of the film to be set in New York, but Paramount told him that budget would not allow them to do as much in New York, forcing him to cut down the script. The majority was filmed in Vancouver and Los Angeles, with some scenes shot in Manhattan itself. A minor controversy arose when the poster for the film was Jason tearing an "I Heart NY" sign, which prompted a complaint from the New York Tourism Committee. Once again, not a critical hit, the disappointing box office of the film, with the diminishing returns of the previous ones, ultimately lead to Paramount selling the franchise to New Line Cinema, who would produce the next three films.
So, Jason (Kane Hodder) is back again after a large boat anchor disrupts some wires near his corpse. Said boat belongs to Jim (Tod Caldecott), who is on with his girlfriend Suzy (Tiffany Paulsen). Jim recounts the story of Jason, and scares Suzy with his own hockey mask. Jason promptly climbs aboard, and dispatches the two. Later, he sneaks aboard the SS Lazarus , which is taking the graduating class of Lakeview High School to New York City for their graduation gift. The trip is led by biology teacher Charles McCulloch (Peter Mark Richardson) and English teacher Colleen Van Deusen (Barbara Bingham). McCulloch requests Van Deusen look after his niece Rennie (Jensen Daggett), who is aquaphobic, but decided to come anyway. She has a relationship with Sean (Scott Reeves), who is the son of the captain (Warren Munson, playing a Dan Aykroyd character apparently). She also has mysterious visions of a young Jason.The other occupants include boxer Julius (VC Dupree), Tamara Marson (Sharlene Martin), Eva Watanabe (Kelly Hu, in her first film role),Wayne (Martin Cummins), and Toby (Ace), Rennie's dog. Of course, Jason eventually brings his kill spread, killing the captain and crew, as well as most of the students, forcing the remaining ones (Rennie, Sean, Julius, McCulloch, and Van Deusen) to escape via life raft. They eventually reach New York, and disembark. However, little do they realize that Jason has followed them to the Big Apple, and well, he isn't there to catch a Broadway show.
The concept of the film, removing Jason from the heavily wooded and relatively isolated Crystal Lake and placing him in the bustling metropolis of NYC, has potential, and while the film never reaches that potential, (which I'll describe in the flaws section), the best scenes in the film are when Jason is in New York City, interacting with locals and the character evading him through the city. A particular highlight was the scene set on the New York subway. There's a particularly good shot (which codifies the film) with Jason standing in Times Square, soaking in the entire setting, before going about his business. There is also a nice connection between Rennie and Jason, when it's revealed that Rennie had been pulled down Crystal Lake by Jason when McCulloch pushed her in an attempt to make her swim. Jason's final dispatch in the film is unique, in that he is drowned by toxic sewage, a very urban idea, that fits with Jason's displacement from Crystal Lake.
This might as well be called "Jason is on a boat, and then spends about an hour in New York." 60% of the film is set on the ship, which is a bit of a rip-off, given the title explicitly states that Jason will "take" Manhattan. The ship sequences aren't necessarily bad, but they aren't anything really special in the series, (aside from one alright sequence in the disco room). I don't blame this on the filmmakers, as they had to cut down the amount of time that was originally meant to be spent in New York. A lot of the characters are ultimately superfluous, as many of them are killed before they ever reach New York. There's also clear signs of budgetary limitations, as the opening sequence with shots of New York has shots from later on.
Is this the worst of the series? Eh, no, I wouldn't say so. Like I said the New York sequences are the best part of the film, and nothing in the film is terrible. That said, I would recommend watching others in the series before you watch this one.
Well, we're at the home stretch, so for a bit of brevity, here's part of the promotion for the film, Jason on the original Arsenio Hall Show:
So, Jason (Kane Hodder) is back again after a large boat anchor disrupts some wires near his corpse. Said boat belongs to Jim (Tod Caldecott), who is on with his girlfriend Suzy (Tiffany Paulsen). Jim recounts the story of Jason, and scares Suzy with his own hockey mask. Jason promptly climbs aboard, and dispatches the two. Later, he sneaks aboard the SS Lazarus , which is taking the graduating class of Lakeview High School to New York City for their graduation gift. The trip is led by biology teacher Charles McCulloch (Peter Mark Richardson) and English teacher Colleen Van Deusen (Barbara Bingham). McCulloch requests Van Deusen look after his niece Rennie (Jensen Daggett), who is aquaphobic, but decided to come anyway. She has a relationship with Sean (Scott Reeves), who is the son of the captain (Warren Munson, playing a Dan Aykroyd character apparently). She also has mysterious visions of a young Jason.The other occupants include boxer Julius (VC Dupree), Tamara Marson (Sharlene Martin), Eva Watanabe (Kelly Hu, in her first film role),Wayne (Martin Cummins), and Toby (Ace), Rennie's dog. Of course, Jason eventually brings his kill spread, killing the captain and crew, as well as most of the students, forcing the remaining ones (Rennie, Sean, Julius, McCulloch, and Van Deusen) to escape via life raft. They eventually reach New York, and disembark. However, little do they realize that Jason has followed them to the Big Apple, and well, he isn't there to catch a Broadway show.
The concept of the film, removing Jason from the heavily wooded and relatively isolated Crystal Lake and placing him in the bustling metropolis of NYC, has potential, and while the film never reaches that potential, (which I'll describe in the flaws section), the best scenes in the film are when Jason is in New York City, interacting with locals and the character evading him through the city. A particular highlight was the scene set on the New York subway. There's a particularly good shot (which codifies the film) with Jason standing in Times Square, soaking in the entire setting, before going about his business. There is also a nice connection between Rennie and Jason, when it's revealed that Rennie had been pulled down Crystal Lake by Jason when McCulloch pushed her in an attempt to make her swim. Jason's final dispatch in the film is unique, in that he is drowned by toxic sewage, a very urban idea, that fits with Jason's displacement from Crystal Lake.
This might as well be called "Jason is on a boat, and then spends about an hour in New York." 60% of the film is set on the ship, which is a bit of a rip-off, given the title explicitly states that Jason will "take" Manhattan. The ship sequences aren't necessarily bad, but they aren't anything really special in the series, (aside from one alright sequence in the disco room). I don't blame this on the filmmakers, as they had to cut down the amount of time that was originally meant to be spent in New York. A lot of the characters are ultimately superfluous, as many of them are killed before they ever reach New York. There's also clear signs of budgetary limitations, as the opening sequence with shots of New York has shots from later on.
Is this the worst of the series? Eh, no, I wouldn't say so. Like I said the New York sequences are the best part of the film, and nothing in the film is terrible. That said, I would recommend watching others in the series before you watch this one.
Well, we're at the home stretch, so for a bit of brevity, here's part of the promotion for the film, Jason on the original Arsenio Hall Show:
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