Review: Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning

Director: Danny Steinmann

Screenplay: Martin Kitrosser, David Cohen, and Danny Steinmann

Year: 1985

"Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning" is the first film in the series, where, fortunately, it does not begin with a retelling of the previous one (except for the first part, for obvious reasons). It also represents the first film in the series where the events of the previous one are not followed in a row, but some years pass between the events of the previous one and this one.

The plot of “Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning” follows Tommy, who killed the serial killer Jason Vorhees as a child. As a result of his encounter with the murderer, Tommy struggles with various mental disorders, which lead him to find himself confined in a help house for patients with psychological illnesses. A series of deaths near the house leads Tommy to question whether Jason may be responsible for them.

In the film’s first scene, it is evident how neglected it is, where the dialogues and sounds do not coincide with what is happening, and it seems that you are watching a badly dubbed version of another language. As if it were a declaration of intention, these problems continue but are accentuated throughout the film, which must be added horrible performances that become irritating and worse dialogue. The films in the "Friday the 13th" series are not characterized by good scripts, but the one in this version must be one of the worst.

One of the characteristics that popularized this series is its excessive violence and great use of practical effects. This entry seems to have ignored what the previous ones did in this department, and they decide to present the vast majority of deaths off-screen, only showing a bit of the result. While this is one of the deadliest entries in the franchise, what makes it to the screen is simply disappointing.

One of the great novelties of this film in the series is that it is not known who the murderer is since Jason Vorhees is dead. However, the script by Martin Kitrosser ("Friday the 13th Part III"), David Cohen, and Danny Steinmann ("Savage Streets") seems to do everything in their power not to take advantage of the suspense that this uncertainty can provide. When it comes to revealing the identity of the murderer, this is another disappointment to include in the long list that this film generates.

"Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning" is one of the worst, if not the worst, movie in the franchise. Horrible performances, worse script, and disappointing special effects, this entry in the franchise takes several steps back when it comes to quality and entertainment. It's hard to understand how this series continued after such a horrible entry.