Every Friday The 13th Movie, Ranked By Slasher Fans
Copy link
Vote up the scariest Friday the 13th installments that prove Jason is the best slasher of them all.
Camp Crystal Lake summons all slasher fans to stop by and vote for the Friday the 13th movie series. This beloved horror franchise follows the unkillable mask-wearing mommy's boy known as Jason Voorhees as he slices and dices his way through a number of victims, who are normally a bunch of horny and annoying teenagers.
Jason's murderous adventures aren't only limited to Crystal Lake, or even Earth - he's gone to Manhattan, to outer space, and to Hell. He even crossed paths with Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Needless to say, he gets around without a driver's license.
So, let's take a look at every film this man-demon appears in, what he gets up to, the timeline of the story, and what fans and critics think of the film. Be sure to vote up the installments that pack the creepiest Friday the 13th punch.
- 11,270 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: Jason comes back to life after everyone presumes him dead. After hacking his way out of the morgue, he heads back to Crystal Lake. As per usual, no one has learned their lesson about this cursed place, and a group of young people are hanging out there on the weekend. Like clockwork, Jason engages in kill mode. It's up the Jarvis siblings, Tommy and Trish, to stop him.
Where It Fits In The Series: The action kicks off immediately after the events of Friday the 13th Part III. Despite Chris putting an axe in his head at the end of that entry, Jason revives himself shortly after his body is carted away.
Goriest Moment: Ah, Jimmy. All he wants to do is find a corkscrew for the wine. Jason helps him out by stabbing it into his hand. As Jimmy struggles to free himself, Jason hits him with a cleaver in the face for good measure.
Reception: Critical rating: 21%; audience score: 51% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #150 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #266 of 278 on'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime
- #30 of 92 onThe Best Movies Of 1984, Ranked
- 21,296 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: Tommy continues to be tormented by the memory of Jason, so he returns to Crystal Lake to confront his fears. He digs up Jason's corpse to make sure the killer is dead and gone. However, as he skewers Jason's corpse with a metal fence post, a rumbling thunderstorm offers a lightning strike at just the wrong moment to bring the beast back to life, Frankenstein-style. Undead Jason's back to his murdering ways, even stronger than before.
Where It Fits In The Series: The film takes place not too long after the fifth installment, A New Beginning.
Goriest Moment: Three people play paintball in the forest. What they don't expect to see is Jason drop in front of them. In one fell swoop, Jason swings his machete and chops off all three heads.
Reception: Critical rating: 53%; audience score: 53% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #210 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #29 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- #42 of 87 onThe Best Movies of 1986
- 31,201 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: After all the stories about Camp Crystal Lake and the two separate murder sprees there, some wise guy decides it's still a good idea to open up a school for camp counselors on the shore. A spitting-mad Jason takes revenge against all the “intruders," mostly because he's still sad about his mother's death and needs to work his anger out of his system. Ginny thinks she kills him at one point, but the joke's on her.
Where It Fits In The Series: The film utilizes two time jumps. It takes place two months after the events of 1980's Friday the 13th, then jumps ahead five years later.
Goriest Moment: Jeff and Sandy get jiggy with it. Unfortunately, the poor couple isn't even able to have a moment together, as Jason uses a single spear to impale both of them mid-coitus.
Reception: Critical rating: 33%; audience score: 48% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #239 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- #58 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #238 of 278 on'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime
- 41,218 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: In his cinematic debut, Jason's not all that involved. It's his mother, Pamela Voorhees, committing the murders after people dare to reopen Camp Crystal Lake after he drowned in the lake years earlier. Jason shows up toward the end of the film, as his rotting corpse pulls Alice into the water. At the time, though, it's uncertain if Alice hallucinates the horrific scene, or if it's really happening.
Where It Fits In The Series: The beginning of the legend serves as the perfect origin story for both Jason and Pamela Voorhees.
Goriest Moment: Jack and Marcie get frisky in bed. After Marcie departs to the bathroom, Jack lights up a joint. However, this will be the last puff he ever takes, as an arrow pierces through his throat. The killer was under the bed. The. Whole. Time!
Reception: Critical rating: 66%; audience score: 60% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- 51,113 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: A wounded Jason hides in the barn of Higgins Haven, a home found on Crystal Lake. Fortunately for Jason and his still-raging bloodlust, Chris Higgins and her pals all visit the place for the weekend. After a group of bikers take revenge on Chris and her friends by removing the gas from their vehicle and setting fire to the barn, Jason's murder-o-meter awakens and he goes after everyone.
Where It Fits In The Series: The movie takes place immediately after the events of Friday the 13th Part II, as Jason recovers from his injuries caused by Ginny.
Goriest Moment: Andy pulls out a neat trick by doing a walking handstand in the house. However, Jason isn't impressed. Using his machete, he splits Andy down the middle.
Reception: Critical rating: 7%; audience score: 42% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #145 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #41 of 67 onThe Best Movies Of 1982
- #43 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- 61,046 VOTESPhoto: New Line Cinema
What's Jason Up To: In this crossover with the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Freddy Krueger uses his powers to resurrect Jason from the dead. Appearing as Pamela Voorhees, Freddy tricks Jason into causing havoc in Springwood and raising the fear levels for Freddy's return. After a while, though, Freddy and Jason don't see eye to eye anymore, and they slug it out to prove who's the toughest horror villain of all.
Where It Fits In The Series: Freddy vs. Jason takes place after the events of Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, but before Jason X.
Goriest Moment: With Trey lying on the bed, Jason doesn't hold back as he stabs the teen to death. To further rub salt in the wounds, he folds the bed (and Trey's corpse) in half.
Reception: Critical rating: 42%; audience score: 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.
More Freddy vs. Jason
- #177 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #27 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- #2 of 27 onPlot Holes That'll Ruin Your Favorite Horror Movies
- 7957 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: Teenager Tina Shepard uses her telekinetic powers in an attempt to resurrect her father who drowned in Crystal Lake. Unwittingly, she brings back Jason instead, who was chained to the bottom of the lake. Without missing a beat, Jason gets back to the slaughter, while Tina tries to find a way to stop his rampage.
Where It Fits In The Series: Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood takes place after Jason Lives, which ends with Jason trapped at the bottom of Crystal Lake and presumed dead.
Goriest Moment: Jason doesn't only need his trusty machete to do damage. In one scene, he grabs Jane, who is inside her sleeping bag, and proceeds to whack the bag against the tree until she dies.
Reception: Critical rating: 33%; audience score: 37% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #55 of 122 onThe Best Movies Of 1988
- #54 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- #12 of 27 onPlot Holes That'll Ruin Your Favorite Horror Movies
- 81,057 VOTESPhoto: Warner Bros. Pictures
What's Jason Up To: Jason lurks around Crystal Lake. After Whitney goes missing on a camping trip with her friends, her brother, Clay, searches for his sister. What he doesn't know is Jason trapped Whitney because she reminds him of his mother, Pamela, and he isn't about to let her go without a fight.
Where It Fits In The Series: This 2009 entry is reboot and reimagining of the franchise that takes elements from the first four films and reworks them here.
Goriest Moment: In a tip of the hat to a brutal kill from The New Blood, Jason zips up Amanda in her sleeping bag and roasts her over the fire. She wiggles and panics to free herself, but when the bag eventually bursts open, she's crisped to death.
Reception: Critical rating: 25%; audience score: 47% on Rotten Tomatoes.
More Friday the 13th- #27 of 64 onThe Best Horror Movie Remakes Of All Time
- #94 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #21 of 115 onThe Goriest Horror Movies Ever Made (2023 Update)
- 9941 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: Jason takes a backseat in this story while Tommy, the one of the protagonists from the previous film, takes center stage. Even though he "killed" Jason, Tommy remains plagued by the nightmares of his assailant and is institutionalized. All of a sudden, a new Jason appears to wreak havoc, but he's only a pretender - not the real deal.
Where It Fits In The Series: Did anyone really think The Final Chapter was the end because of the finality of the name? True horror fans know it's never really over. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning takes place a few years after the events of the previous film.
Goriest Moment: During a struggle over the loft window of the barn, Tommy chops off "Jason's" hand, which sees the murderer fall backward into a tractor harrow and die instantly.
Reception: Critical rating: 18%; audience score: 26% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #57 of 96 onThe 90+ Best Movies Of 1985, Ranked
- #65 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- #10 of 17 onThe Oldest 'Teenagers' In Horror Movies
- Photo: Paramount Pictures
What's Jason Up To: After a boat damages underwater cables that spark and revive a submerged Jason, he climbs aboard the ship to commit unspeakable acts of murder. Taking the free ride on the boat, he heads off to Manhattan where he decides to torment and introduce the city to his razor-sharp personality.
Where It Fits In The Series: A year after Jason drowns (for the millionth time) at the end of The New Blood, he rises again.
Goriest Moment: In a tribute to films past, Jason attacks two lovers in the middle of a romp. He uses a harpoon to gut Jim, then chases after Suzi, who also gets stabbed for forcing Jason to chase after her.
Reception: Critical rating: 11%; audience score: 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #130 of 164 onThe Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
- #73 of 83 onThe Best Movies Of 1989, Ranked
- #15 of 21 onSmart Ways Dumb Horror Sequels Improve On The Originals
- 11922 VOTESPhoto: New Line Cinema
What's Jason Up To: Not knowing how to truly kill him, the US government puts Jason in a cryogenic stasis in the hopes that it will stop him from going on another rampage. Four hundred years into the future, after Earth becomes inhabitable, people move to Earth II. However, on a field trip back to Earth I, they discover the frozen Jason and decide to tinker with him. So, Jason goes to space, is reawoken, and turned into a cyborg in a story that deserves to be immortalized by the Library of Congress.
Where It Fits In The Series: Jason X takes place 400 years in the future of the franchise.
Goriest Moment: After Jason wakes up from his centuries-long slumber, he grabs Adrienne's head and dunks it in liquid nitrogen. With her face frozen, he smashes her head against the table, sending meat chunks all over the place.
Reception: Critical rating: 20%; audience score: 25% on Rotten Tomatoes.
More Jason X- #55 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- #100 of 152 onThe Best Movies of 2002
- #16 of 27 onPlot Holes That'll Ruin Your Favorite Horror Movies
- 12893 VOTESPhoto: New Line Cinema
What's Jason Up To: Jason becomes Pazuzu here, as his evil spirit hops from body to body and turns people into killers. To resurrect himself in his own body, he must find someone in the Voorhees bloodline. However, a magical dagger is also capable of killing and sending him to Hell (seriously, it's right there in the title of the movie).
Where It Fits In The Series: Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday takes place a few years after Jason's rampage through Manhattan in Part VIII.
Goriest Moment: Jason's kills are as gory as normal, but the most eyebrow-raising scene takes place early on when the coroner chomps on Jason's heart. Why?! Gross…
Reception: Critical rating: 16%; audience score: 23% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- #94 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
- #85 of 115 onThe Goriest Horror Movies Ever Made (2023 Update)
- #20 of 36 onThe Best Horror Movies About Hell
