Connect with us

News

Derek Mears: The Greatest Jason of All-Time

Published

on

Blasphemy is a strong word, but for some, it may apply to what I’m about to say.

Frequent iHorror visitors are aware of my love for Friday the 13th, Kane Hodder in particular, but the more thought I devote to it (and the more I watch the 2009 reboot), the more I believe the finest portrayal of Jason Voorhees belongs to Derek Mears.

Look, I get it, how can a guy come along in the twelfth version of a film and be the best? Well, that’s not all the difficult to answer.

Horror fans are inextricably tied to the past; it’s just the way that it is. Collectively we are hung up on the “glory days” of eighties slasher flicks, and many of us fall prey to the idea that the best the genre has to offer is in the rear view with solid submissions few and far between these days.

That’s not necessarily true, though is it? In the past two years alone we’ve had The Witch, Don’t Breathe, Split and Get Out, with Alien: Covenant and IT on the way.

So let’s drop that fascination with the past and weigh things for what they are.

(Image credit: Superiorpics.com)

We’re not talking Stephan Smith Collins replacing Doug Bradley or Jackie Earle Haley stepping into the shoes of Robert Englund here, because Hodder’s four performances aside, a myriad of men have played the Camp Crystal Lake marauder.

Some have towered above the competition. Richard Brooker offered our first glimpse at Jason as refined killer. Still human, still a bit of bumble to the execution, but what Jason would become began to take shape with Brooker’s offering from Part III. Then Ted White set the standard by which all Jason’s henceforth would be judged in The Final Chapter, and Kane took zombie Jason to another level from The New Blood through Jason X.

Fantastic depictions all, but none quite measure up to Mears.

Why? Authenticity.

Before anyone goes off on that remark, let’s break it down. There was an element of goofiness to many of the Jasons we’ve been treated to over the years, and the legends above are not immune to that criticism. What separated Mears from the field was the realistic way he approached the character.

For the first time we had a completely believable Jason, one whose every action was calculated and embarked upon for reasons that made sense.

(Image credit: m.aceshowbiz.com)

Mears’ Voorhees didn’t simply wander the grounds of the camp slaughtering everyone he came into contact with; it was all laid out in the prologue of the film. Richie (Ben Feldman) commented, “I get it, though. You do what you’ve gotta do to survive.”  Later, when Clay (Jared Padalecki) stopped by an old woman’s house to ask if she’d seen his missing sister, she commented that folks didn’t know where to walk around those parts. The people just wanted to be left alone, “and so does he.”

Those statements encapsulate everything you needed to know about the latest iteration of Voorhees. This Jason was not about stalking and slaying, he was about survival and protecting his home. That was certainly the intent of Damian Shannon and Mark Swift in the way that they wrote the character, but Mears took that premise to a whole other level.

Mears himself has stated that he may have done more research than he needed to fulfill the role of Jason, but that homework paid dividends.

The Bakersfield, California native delved into child psychology and the effects of losing a parent at a young age, as well as isolation and survival techniques. We saw Jason portrayed not only as human, but for the first time, as a human being.

We saw how taxing the loss of his mother was, how lost, alone and confused Jason felt. And like anyone else, when he was fucked with, he wanted to take action, to let everyone know that he was not to be trifled with, and grew angry when he couldn’t find his tormentors as they hid beneath canoes.

These weren’t camp counselors who needed to be punished for drinking, getting high or fornicating like rabbits, but rather invaders who were, to Jason’s thinking, threats to his very existence. They were unwanted guests who ventured into his backyard and strolled into his home, looking through his things as though it were a hotel. He acted accordingly – get them before they get you.

(Image credit: wickedhorror.com)

Mear’s Jason put them down swiftly and violently. Make sure they don’t get back up. He had set up trip wires around the camp to tip him off to approaching trouble, and his kills were efficient rather than elaborate. It was about survival, not savoring the murder. He only made victims suffer when it served a purpose, to bait the others into appearing to help their friends. Not as a set up for good times, but because he didn’t know how many of them there were or what weapons they may or may not have had. The only way to reclaim the upper hand was if the battle was fought on his turf.

Everything Mears did as Jason was purposeful. It was strategic, believable and done out of survival.

Now, for those who would call into question Jason wandering to Trent’s (Travis Van Winkle) father’s cabin, you’d do well to remember that he simply followed the trail that the invaders put him on. That they had decided to exit his home stage left made them no less of a threat in Jason’s mind. Get them before they get you.

There was nothing humorous or goofy about the Jason Voorhees of Derek Mears. Yes, he ran and some had distaste for the tunnels beneath the camp that shed light on the long-standing mystery of his apparent ability to warp from one location to the next in what seemed like seconds, but for the first time Jason was not simply a killing machine seeking out blood regardless of circumstance.

No, this Jason was an actual character who thought, stressed and suffered, and whose motivation was not out of blood lust but survival. And when you have a hulking figure wearing a burlap sack or hock and wielding a machete believing that it’s him or them, you have all the ingredients for a horrifying figure.

“Let’s think beyond the legend, put it in real terms.” When Swift, Shannon and Mears teamed to expand on Ginny’s (Amy Steel) contemplation from Part II, they provided a gift to Friday fans everywhere, the most terrifying Jason in franchise history.

(Image credit: m.aceshowbiz.com)

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News

New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

Published

on

Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

Published

on

Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

Published

on

Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Embed Gif with Clickable Title