Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
★★½ — Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
The fourth entry in Paramount's slasher franchise arrives in 1984 with a title that was, of course, a lie: Jason Voorhees would return in at least seven more instalments after this supposed send-off. Director Joseph Zito came to the project off the back of the reasonably successful slasher picture The Prowler (1981), and would follow it with the Chuck Norris action vehicle Missing in Action (1984) the same year. The budget was a modest $2.6 million, against a domestic gross pushing $33 million, which tells you everything about why Paramount kept the series running. The production is notable for featuring an early role for Corey Feldman, and for the involvement of makeup effects artist Tom Savini, who had worked on the original film and returned specifically to kill Jason off for good.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) is more of the same for fans of the slasher grind, another night, another group of teens doing dumb things, and Jason Voorhees once again hacking his way through walls, doors, and poor life choices. It’s competently made, with solid practical effects (that machete to the face? Nasty), a few decent jump scares, and some surprisingly dark moments that push the gore into teally messy territory. Corey Feldman also shows up as Tommy Jarvis, the young horror fan who might just be the one to stop Jason, adding a glimmer of character depth amid the carnage. But let’s be honest, it’s formula by this point. Same POV kills, same cheap shocks, same predictable stuff. Jason isn’t unstoppable here either; he gets thrown around, stabbed, and even seems a bit sluggish, which undercuts his menace. And while the film tries to set up a final confrontation with emotional weight, it never rises above being an average entry in an increasingly repetitive series. The pacing is fine, the kills are suitably gruesome, but there’s no real innovation or surprise. It’s a well-oiled machine running on fumes. Watchable for die-hards, especially for Tommy’s arc, but otherwise just another stop on the body count. Solid slasher craftsmanship, zero soul. Another chapter, not a climax.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 1984 | Watched: 2025-09-30
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from the 1980s: Nightmare City (1980) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Style Wars (1983) · Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
More horror: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Viy (1967) · Nightmare City (1980) · Angst (1983)
