Iconic hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees returns in director Jeremy Brown’s Vengeance A Friday The 13th Fan Film from Brownspace Films. Serving as an unofficial sequel to Friday The 13th Part VI, Jason Lives (one of the franchise best entries), Vengeance takes place roughly thirty years later. The story begins with Elias Voorhees (CJ Graham), Jason’s father, returns to Crystal Lake, and a string of grisly murders that soon follows his arrival.
After hearing the news of the most recent killings, Jason’s longtime foe Tommy Jarvis goes missing. It’s up to his daughter Angelica Jarvis (Kelly Tappan) to rise to the challenge of finding her father and finding a way to destroy his old nemesis Jason Voorhees in the process. Armed with knowledge never previously known about Jason, Angelica may prove his greatest threat yet, which culminates in Jarvis vs. Voorhees’ epic showdown.
Fan films are nothing new and can usually be hit or miss. However, I must commend the writer’s T.C. De Witt and Mike Meade for providing a solid script that is a love letter to the fans. I won’t go into spoilers, but I will say that the decision to bring in characters related to past victims of Jason was a wise one. A smile crept on my face when a particular surname was mentioned.
I also love that we finally get to see Elias Voorhees on screen often, and he’s played by a former Jason actor. Graham is downright menacing in the role, and the wait was well worth it. Jason is portrayed by actor Jason Brooks, who does a great job delivering the kills, Friday fans are accustomed to.
Before directing Vengeance, Jeremy Brown has numerous shorts under his belt. Brown’s direction in Vengeance comes off like a seasoned pro. Yes, the film features all of the templates of the slasher film nudity, drugs, and gory kills; however, given the film’s budget, Brown accomplished a hell of a lot. I can’t wait to see what he does with a real budget as he is a very skilled director.
Not that we ever watched the Friday The 13th films for award-worthy acting. That being said, I need viewers to remember that Vengeance is a fan film, so the acting reflects that style. Nevertheless, the cast is good, and should the screenwriters and director take on another franchise, I would love to see them use some of the same actors.
It’s been eleven years since Jason Voorhees made an appearance on the big screen. Since that time, numerous fan films have continued the character’s legacy, and Vengeance A Friday The 13th Fan Film is one of the best. More than a love letter to the series fans, Vengeance A Friday The 13th Fan Film is also a promising feature debut for director Jeremy Brown.
Final Grade B+
Vengeance, A Friday The 13th Fan Film, is available for viewing Here On YouTube
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