Horrific Inquiry: FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)

Welcome back to the newest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry – Horrific Inquiry. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, each month bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of horror, but warning, there will be spoilers.

Universal Pictures found early success in the horror genre, bringing to life the creature features of the 1930s, continuing their success in subsequent sequels. Yet, in many of these sequels, it wasn’t just another induction of a monster’s tale, but a crossover of horror creatures –  Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, Frankenstein meets Dracula and Abbot and Costello, with even Allied Artists Pictures brings the crossovers in Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster. We want to see these monsters of horror interact, their stories and intricacies crossing paths and creating a new wealth of imagination, horror, and at times comedy. And with 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason, from director Ronny Yu, it is clear the need and want for crossovers is far from over.

“They found a way to erase me, to forget about me.”

There is an interesting push and pull within Freddy vs. Jason, a fight not only between the villains but between score and set. Each has its defined rules, as Randy from Scream would cry, and the film volleys between them, closing the gap as it reaches its epic conclusion and both worlds meet. The film opens with the familiar Jason theme, before diving right back into Freddy’s world, his villainous eye-calling momentary comparisons to future White Walkers on Game of Thrones.

Freddy’s (Robert Englund) introduction is dark in comparison to the Freddy known so well from the sequels. Gone are the hockey aspects that grew out of his character and narrative, tight shots heightening the horror within very crevice of his face. Audiences are treated to flashbacks of his previous kills, a reminder of the massacre he has been able to inflict on the children of Springwood – and specifically the women of Elm Street. It is a nice franchise recap, that draws on the nostalgia within its audience.

“They found a way to erase me, to forget about me.” – as he is revealing his plan and his motivation for the coming resurrection of Jason, for a moment, it feels as though Freddy is speaking to the audience, to us. In a time where the slasher genre was reaching (and debatably had reached) an extreme over-saturation and the torture porn era was on the horizon, there is a feeling Freddy is breaking the fourth wall, addressing the audience of feeling forgotten within a genre and within a decade. “I found someone to make you remember”  – yes he is speaking of Jason, but just maybe he is speaking of the film itself, a vehicle to return viewers to the old beloved slashers of the 1980s.

We leave Freddy, the immediate push and pull of each villain’s story pulling us back to Jason (Ken Kirzinger), the sounds of a machete, his immense figure lurking in the fog, his first kill as brutal and violent as you would expect (instantly maintaining an almost supernatural aspect of the slasher serial killer). But we have not left Freddy’s world, the first signs of the film’s attempt to morph and interlace the two horror franchises. We are inside Jason’s dream world crafted by Freddy. With flashbacks of previous victims and an appearance from Mommy, Freddy awakens Jason, setting him on a mission to bring fear back to Elm Street.

Back to Elm Street

The film does not drag out the return to Elm Street, Jason’s shadow hovering over the asphalt, a street sign bringing viewers back to 1984, only driving the nostalgia further as we settle on the home that was once Nancy Thompson’s (Heather Langenkamp). But Nancy no longer resides there, a new family and teen shenanigans filling its rooms. Lori Campbell (Monica Keena) is home alone, her friends their to keep her and her recently broken heart company. But like all good teen slashers, unwelcome guests bring bloodshed in stereotypical horror fashion.

The first kill is brutal, and not one to easily forgotten. And yes, it follows the stereotypical pattern of the jerk getting what he deserves first. And this predictability continues throughout the film. Freddy vs. Jason is not afraid to lean into the aspects that made the original films, and their sequels, so successful. It this embracing of the franchises as a whole that reads so well throughout the film.

Murder and mayhem quickly unfold, Jason is loose in Springwood while Freddy quickly begins to reclaim his powers. While the film continues to descend into further terrible acting and at times a cheesy narrative, there is an examination it presents into the power of a name. After Jason’s attack on the teens in Nancy’s old home, the police and townsfolk attempt to desperately cover up what happened, trying not to allow the bubble they have placed the children in to pop. As they think they may have averted a town-wide crisis, Lori hears one of the officers mention the name Freddy – Freddy Krueger. As soon as her mind captures the name, coupled with the violence she had just witnessed, she is thrown into Freddy’s world.

With just the whisper of a name, Freddy’s power is reinstated, the fear surrounding his legacy resurrected. And it is not just in the whisper but in the scream. As Lori’s nightmares heighten, she begins speaking about it at school and with her friends, the power of a name spreading like wildfire – and fire is catching.

Freddy vs. Jason is not just fun for the inevitable battle between the two classic slasher baddies. It boasts an impressive mise en scène and ode to horrors of the past – aspects I had never previously noticed. In the nurse’s office, while Kia (Kelly Rowland – who has one of the best scenes in the film with Freddy) is waiting for Lori to wake up, on the nurse’s desk is a sign stating “sorry, the nurse can’t help you”. Banners in the school’s hallway read “ Harassment and violence… Not in our school”. While one is in Freddy’s world and another in the real world, there is a playfulness with the film’s surroundings. It adds to the hokiness of the film that further sets in but also allows itself to understand its past and poke fun a little along the way.

The film also creates horror film references through both dialogue and visuals, the teens partying in the middle of the cornfield giving strong vibes of Children of the Corn and a Jethro reference calling back to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Where the film is successful most is in its references of the franchises it is based on. The hokey and strangely animated creatures of the Freddie sequels make an appearance, while elements of the Jason franchise bring viewers crashing back to Camp Crystal Lake. It will entice and entertain fans of the franchise but also entice those meeting Jason and Freddy for the first time.

It All Goes Back to Camp Crystal Lake

Freddy vs. Jason does not skim on the body count, nor the liters (and liters!) of blood. It crescendos into multiple blood baths and violence, culminating in an epic battle of the baddies. No one is safe – whether awake or asleep. There is a cleverly crafted duality that is fun and almost classic, giving this merged sequel its own place within horror history.

Sure it doesn’t have the best acting, narrative, or even the best effects, but it offers audiences a return to slashers of old – and well, a damn good time.