In 1980, Friday the 13th introduced the world to a group of camp counsellors being picked off by an unseen killer at Camp Crystal Lake. At first, it seemed like just another slasher in the mould of late-1970s horror, but no one could have predicted that it would spawn 10 sequels, a crossover with Freddy Krueger, a reboot, and become one of horror’s most enduring franchises.
Jason Voorhees — in his now-iconic hockey mask — has since become a fixture in pop culture. His image is instantly recognisable, even to those who’ve never seen a frame of the films. But while the franchise has had some killer highs, it’s also had some deep, blood-soaked lows.
This list ranks every Friday the 13th movie, using four key criteria: Jason’s look, the story and characters, the creativity of the kills, and the quality of the final girl. Let’s slash our way through them, from the very worst to the absolute best.
11. Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
The fake Jason that nobody wanted.
After The Final Chapter (Part IV) seemingly killed off Jason, Paramount still wanted more cash from the franchise. Their solution: bring back a hockey mask… but put someone else under it. Fans were not amused.
The culprit turned out to be Roy Burns, an ambulance driver with a grudge, and the reveal landed with a thud. Worse, the pacing is glacial — too much time is spent on random, one-note characters (greasers, a cokehead, and his inexplicably glamorous girlfriend) who exist solely to be killed.
Jason’s look was still intimidating, and the rainy graveyard prologue with Corey Feldman as Tommy Jarvis is genuinely atmospheric, but most of the kills are off-screen or obscured with awkward close-ups. Pam, the final girl, is competent enough, but she doesn’t stand with the franchise greats.
Trivia: This was the first Friday film to significantly tone down on-screen gore due to MPAA pressure — a trend that would plague several sequels.
10. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
False advertising, thy name is Jason Takes Manhattan.
You’d expect a full movie of Jason stalking the streets of New York, but instead you get an hour of Jason on a cruise ship, with only the last 40 minutes set in Manhattan. The title promised skyscrapers; the budget delivered back alleys and Canadian street corners.
On the plus side, Jason’s perpetually waterlogged look is menacing, and the opening kill — reclaiming his mask and spearing a victim with a speargun — is solid. But the final girl, Rennie, is one of the weakest in the series, spending most of the runtime passive and even causing the accidental death of her teacher/friend.
Trivia: Due to budget constraints, most of “Manhattan” was actually filmed in Vancouver. The few genuine New York shots cost a fortune.
9. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
The body-hopping Jason nobody asked for.
With Jason Takes Manhattan bombing at the box office, Paramount sold the rights to New Line Cinema. The studio’s first move was to reinvent Jason with bizarre new mythology — he’s now a supernatural parasite that can inhabit other bodies. The result alienated fans and sidelined the character for much of the film.
Jason’s physical appearance (when he’s actually Jason) is great, with his swollen, overgrown head spilling over the mask’s edges, but the rest is a messy slog. Characters are flat, and the kills are gory without being particularly inventive.
The FBI sting opening — a trap sprung by an undercover agent posing as bait — is a fun, explosive start, but the film quickly loses steam. The final girl barely registers, with most of the heavy lifting done by other characters.
Trivia: The ending tease with Freddy Krueger’s glove dragging Jason’s mask underground was the first on-screen hint of the eventual Freddy vs. Jason.
8. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Jason meets his match — and Kane Hodder arrives.
Dubbed “Jason vs. Carrie” by fans, The New Blood pits Jason against Tina, a telekinetic teenager. This was the first time Kane Hodder donned the mask, beginning a run that would make him the definitive Jason for many fans.
Jason’s rotting, waterlogged look is one of the franchise’s best — complete with exposed spine and grotesque face reveal. The story sticks to the tried-and-true “teens at the lake” formula, but the MPAA’s insistence on cutting gore leaves many kills frustratingly bloodless.
Tina is one of the strongest final girls in the series, battling Jason with her powers in a climactic 20-minute showdown that’s still thrilling.
Trivia: Kane Hodder performed all his own stunts, including a scene where he’s set on fire for a record-breaking 40 seconds.
7. Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
Jason’s first turn under the sack.
This sequel introduced Jason as the killer — but not yet the hockey-masked icon. Instead, he wears a sack with one eyehole, which undercuts the menace.
The film drags early on, lingering on character moments that don’t add much. That said, the return (and quick dispatch) of original final girl Alice is a nice shock, signalling that no one is safe.
Ginny, however, is a top-tier final girl — resourceful, quick-thinking, and able to outsmart Jason by posing as his mother. The kills are hit-or-miss, though Mark’s infamous wheelchair death (machete to the face, then a tumble down endless stairs) is unforgettable.
Trivia: Amy Steel (Ginny) turned down Part III, a choice she later said she regretted.
6. Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
The birth of the hockey mask.
This is where Jason finally dons his signature mask, instantly cementing his image in horror history. Shot in 3-D (a gimmick popular at the time), the film is cheesy in places but still fun.
The story is standard cabin-in-the-woods fare, but the characters are more likeable than usual, which keeps the downtime watchable. The kills are creative — Andy being split in half, Fox impaled with a pitchfork, and the infamous head crush (despite the visible effects wire) stand out.
Chris, the final girl, is resourceful and even scars Jason with the axe mark that becomes part of his mask’s design.
Trivia: The hockey mask was a last-minute choice from the effects department, taken from a crew member’s gear.
5. Friday the 13th (2009)
A surprisingly effective reboot.
The 2009 reboot reimagines Jason as a towering, cunning hunter — fast, strategic, and capable of setting traps. Derek Mears’ physicality brought fresh menace to the role.
The opening sequence is one of the best in the franchise, delivering brutal, uncomfortable kills that establish this Jason’s intelligence and ferocity. Later kills maintain the same vicious creativity. The downside? The characters are largely unlikeable, and the final girl, Whitney, spends most of the film captive, with her brother driving the rescue.
Trivia: The reboot condenses elements from the first four films, including Pamela’s reveal, the sack mask, and the hockey mask’s debut.
4. Jason X (2001)
Jason… in space. And it works.
After an eight-year gap, Jason X embraced its absurdity and delivered a self-aware, sci-fi slasher. The first half features classic Jason, but after a nanotech rebuild, we get “UberJason” — a metallic, futuristic version that looks incredible. The kills are gloriously over-the-top, with the liquid nitrogen face smash being arguably the franchise’s best. The film balances gore with humour, never taking itself too seriously.
Final girl Rowan is competent early on but fades into the background as other characters steal the spotlight.
Trivia: This was filmed years before release but sat on a shelf until after Freddy vs. Jason gained momentum.
3. Friday the 13th (1980)
The one that started it all.
While Jason isn’t the killer here (that honour goes to his mother, Pamela), the original set the tone for the franchise and helped revitalise the slasher genre.
The kills are mostly off-screen, but Tom Savini’s effects on Kevin Bacon’s arrow-through-the-neck and Marcie’s axe-to-the-head are iconic. Alice is one of the best final girls — smart, capable, and decisive in beheading Mrs. Voorhees.
Trivia: Betsy Palmer (Pamela) took the role only to buy a new car, assuming no one would see the film.
2. Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)
Not so final, but definitely fantastic.
Intended to end the series, The Final Chapter delivers some of the franchise’s best kills, including Jason’s machete-to-the-face death scene. Crispin Glover’s corkscrew-and-cleaver death is a highlight, and Jason’s unmasked face is at its grotesque best. Final girl Trish is underwhelming, but young Tommy Jarvis (Corey Feldman) steals the show and ultimately takes Jason down.
Trivia: Tom Savini returned to kill off Jason after designing his original look in the first film.
1. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
The perfect balance of horror and fun.
Reviving Jason as a zombie, Jason Lives embraces supernatural menace while sprinkling in humour and meta touches. The tone is spot-on, with creative kills like Sissy’s head-twist and moments where characters break the fourth wall.
Jason’s hunter’s gear adds to his imposing presence, and the film’s pacing keeps the kills coming without sacrificing entertainment. Final girl Megan is helpful but secondary to Tommy Jarvis, who drives the plot and ultimately defeats Jason — at least for now.
Trivia: This is the first Friday film to acknowledge its own absurdity, paving the way for later horror-comedy hybrids.
Outro
From its humble 1980 beginnings to outer space absurdity, the Friday the 13th franchise has hacked its way into horror history. Jason Voorhees has evolved from a vengeful son to an unstoppable zombie, a pop culture icon who refuses to stay dead — both on screen and in the hearts of fans.
Whether you prefer the grit of the early films, the outrageous fun of Jason X, or the perfect balance of Jason Lives, there’s a Friday the 13th for every kind of horror fan. Just… maybe skip Part V.
| # | Film Title | Release Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friday the 13th | 1980 |
| 2 | Friday the 13th Part 2 | 1981 |
| 3 | Friday the 13th Part III | 1982 |
| 4 | Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter | 1984 |
| 5 | Friday the 13th: A New Beginning | 1985 |
| 6 | Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives | 1986 |
| 7 | Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood | 1988 |
| 8 | Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan | 1989 |
| 9 | Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | 1993 |
| 10 | Jason X | 2001 |
| 11 | Freddy vs. Jason | 2003 |
| 12 | Friday the 13th (Reboot) | 2009 |
