Friday The 13th (2009) Director: Marcus Nispel

Being a big fan of the classic slasher icons, I was looking forward to the return of the ultimate killer Jason Voorhees. Sadly, the 2009 version of Friday The 13th brings nothing new to the franchise and is ultimately disappointing.

The film starts off with promise - as is commonly known, Jason doesn't truly emerge until the second film in Friday The 13th and the 2009 feature gives a nod to this - with a fresh batch of teens going off to camp at Crystal Lake. We think they're going to be our main lead characters - how wrong we are.

The blood and gore is there as good-looking teens get disposed of in the most gruesome ways - burnt to death in a sleeping bag, shot through the head whilst towing your topless girlfriend who is water-skiing - but unlike the surprise and shock of the first Jason, our new Voorhees just isn't much cop. The plot itself is quite confused as several Crystal Lake inhabitants are also despatched of - why would Jason 'turn on his own'? He's just a big, bumbling bloke with a grudge - not the terrifying figure of the early franchise. "Jason, what is your motivation?!" luvvies would cry!

It's enjoyable - and I'm glad they kept in a vital last scene - but a let-down as so many of the current franchise updates are; the exemption being Rob Zombie's Hallowe'en which was brutal. I think it's time for Jason to hang up his hockey mask for good and to sink quietly to the bottom of Crystal Lake.

2/5 popcorn bites