Friday the 13th Part II 1981 - REVIEW

The sequel that many Friday fans say is their favorite.  While it is a very good installment it is not my favorite but I do love it.  This is the film that made Jason Voorhees a staple of pop culture and one of the most iconic movie figures/villains of the 1980's.  In the age of the slasher boom Paramount decided to go ahead with the first sequel to the heavily successful Friday the 13th.

We start with Alice (Adrienne King) sleeping and having flashbacks to the events from the original Friday the 13th.  We see her awake from her bad dream and have a not so nice conversation with her Mother after a nice shower.  She opens her refrigerator to find Mrs. Voorhees' head in there.  She is stabbed in the head by her son, a now grown up Jason (Steve Dash).  Back in Crystal Lake the main camp has been closed but there is another camp next to it that is now open for business again as a training camp for counselors run by Paul Holt (John Furey).

 With the help of his assistant Ginny (Amy Steel) they plan on putting a little more than a dozen counselors through a vigorous training program to get them in shape for the camp season.  Paul is well aware of the legend of Jason but he tells the story and assures the camp it is just a legend and it is not true.  Within the first few days Paul lets his camp cut loose and go out for one more night out before they get down to business.  Some stay back but who will survive.  Jason is on the loose and he will not stop till  they are all gone!

The role of Jason was actually played by 2 people:  Steve Dash and Warrington Gillette.  Warrington was the first but was soon replaced by a fellow stuntman Steve Dash who plays Jason for majority of the movie.  I gotta say I really love sackhead Jason.  While the hockey mas is iconic they sack is a little more creepy in my opinion. The rest of the cast that was put together for this movie was rather remarkable.

 All very young and talented actors and actresses.  This indeed put Amy Steel on the map for her performance of the all important final girl Ginny Field.  Another notable actor in this film was Stu Charno who later went on to star in John Carpenter's Christine a few years later.

The effects in this film were great even though Tom Savini was not able to return and elected to work on another movie instead.  There are a few death scenes that I consider to be the best in the series.  My favorite from this one was Mark (Tom McBride)  getting a machette to the face and him rolling down the steps in this wheelchair.

 I think that scene is "wheelie cool!"  Everyone who was involved with this  did a standout job.  The acting was great, well great for the 80's, the direction was great and so was the writing.  I do enjoy this sequel more than the original.  There are not many movies I will say that about but this is one of them.  Stay twisted everyone!