Friday the 13th (2009) (4K UHD Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: Sep 18, 2024
Format: 4K Ultra HD

Director

Marcus Nispel

Release Date(s)

2009 (September 24, 2024)

Studio(s)

Platinum Dunes/New Line Cinema/Paramount Pictures (Arrow Video)

Film/Program Grade: B-
Video Grade: A
Audio Grade: A-
Extras Grade: A

Review

After successfully remaking The Texas Chain Saw Massacre for New Line Cinema in 2003, Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes production company set out to remake Friday the 13th in 2009 with Marcus Nispel in the director’s chair once again, much to the chagrin of longtime horror fans who were growing more and more tired of Hollywood remakes of some of their favorite films. Regardless, Friday had a healthy box office take, released just before Valentine’s Day, and was met with some positive feedback from the horror community, but many felt it was just another unnecessary cash grab.

In truth, this Friday feels like it borrows more from Friday the 13th Part 2 than it does the original film, aside from the initial setup. After a flashback scene in which we see Jason’s mother being decapitated and Jason bearing witness to it, we meet a group of teenagers out in the woods smoking weed and fornicating with each other before a mysterious, oversized man with a sack over his head shows up to slaughter them. Some time later, a group of friends are gathering at a nearby cabin by the lake for a weekend of similar activities when a man who’s looking for his missing sister comes knocking at their door. It isn’t long before Jason, soon to be donning his iconic hockey mask, appears to kill them off one by one. The cast includes Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Aaron Yoo, Ben Feldman, Willa Ford, and Derek Mears as the murderous big guy himself.

Friday ‘09 isn’t that bad at being what it is, but it’s mostly familiar retread. One of the biggest differences this time around is that the filmmakers try to explain away some of the supernatural elements, such as Jason being able to essentially teleport from one place to another. Now he has a series of underground mines that allow him to get around more easily. He’s also more of a mama’s boy now, which the film goes to great lengths to demonstrate, giving him a bed with his name carved into the headboard and an old teddy bear sitting on the blanket.

Things are taken a little too far when Jason takes one of the women prisoner because she’s wearing his mother’s locket and vaguely looks like her. It’s a callback of sorts to Part 2 when Ginny tricks him briefly into believing that she’s his mother. Even young Tommy Jarvis managed to do something akin to this in The Final Chapter. In other words, you can fool Jason to some degree, but when it comes right down to it, he doesn’t take prisoners—he flat out murders everyone in his path. The speed and ferocity of his kills has been upped considerably, and he has bear traps placed everywhere to catch those unsuspecting. These latter changes aren’t necessarily out of step, just something a little different, and actually effective.

The remake hasn’t changed the formula in terms of what we can expect from characters and content. Everyone is their usual clichéd, one-dimensional selves with mild interpersonal issues. There’s also quite a bit of nudity and sex, even more so in the Killer Cut. It’s shocking what can be gotten away with in an R-rated film today compared to when The New Blood or A New Beginning was made, which had a big chunk of a sex scene lifted out of it to satisfy the MPAA. To that point, one of the kills involves a woman who’s stabbed in the top of her head while hiding under a pier and unnecessarily showing off her boobs, which is a memorable kill for many fans. It’s pretty much a given that someone will lose their top at any given moment in one of these films, but a mix of sex, nudity, and murder is often a no-no when it comes to ratings. Not so here.

Today, Friday the 13th (2009) is seen by most as just another entry in a long-running franchise, attempting to re-create and improve upon many of the memorable moments from films past, but lacking much of its own identity, which to be fair, is par for the course when it comes to the majority of the film’s sequels.

Friday the 13th (2009) was shot on 35 mm film (Kodak Vision2 50D 5201, Vision2 250D 5205, and Vision3 500T 5219) by cinematographer Daniel C. Pearl using Arriflex 235, Arriflex 435 ES, Panavision Panaflex Lightweight, Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL, and Panavision Panaflex Platinum cameras with Panavision E- and G-Series, AWZ2, Close Focus, and Angenieux HR lenses. The film was finished as a 2K Digital Intermediate and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Arrow Video debuts the film in separate Ultra HD presentations of the Theatrical Cut and the unrated Killer Cut from new 4K masters upscaled from the 2K DI, graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and presented on triple-layered BD-100 discs.

Daniel Pearl should be celebrated as a cinematographer who truly makes the most of very little light, and knows how to take full advantage of deep shadows. Never is that more evident than in Friday ‘09. Arrow’s 4K presentation is stellar with deep, inky blacks and plentiful gradations of shadow and light, regardless if any given scene is taking place during the day or night. A tightly-knitted grain structure is on display with a bitrate that sits mostly between 80 to 100Mbps, frequently soaring well beyond that range. There’s an extremely minor softness on display, but since this was shot on film, it feels natural and authentic. It’s actually quite sharp with heavy detail and perfect contrast, thanks in no small part to the HDR passes, which soak up everything there is to be had in the original DI. There’s also virtually no difference in quality when it comes to the extended and alternate moments in the Killer Cut. Both versions are identical in presentation. Clean, stable, and organic, perfectly capturing Daniel Pearl’s aggressively dark but nuanced cinematography.

Audio is included in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The previous Blu-ray release included a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD presentation, though the new DTS track doesn’t offer much of a sonic difference. It’s still a highly immersive experience with clear dialogue exchanges and excellent support for the music and score. Atmospherics, staging, and panning are given plenty of consideration, especially when it comes to the variety of sound effects, both large and small. It’s a fine track.

Arrow Video’s 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD release of Friday the 13th (2009) sits in a black Amaray case alongside a mock-up “Greetings from Crystal Lake” postcard; a double-sided poster with the original theatrical poster artwork on one side and new artwork by Gary Pullin on the reverse; and a 28-page booklet containing cast and crew information, the essays Friday the 13th (2009): A Tribute to the Blood-Soaked Legacy of Jason Voorhees by Matt Konopka and Welcome to Crystal Lake: The Topography of American Terror in Friday the 13th (2009) by Alexandra West, restoration information, and production credits. Everything is housed in a slipcover featuring the same new artwork. The following extras are included on each disc:

DISC ONE (THEATRICAL CUT)

Commentaries:
- NEW Audio Commentary with Marcus Nispel
- NEW Audio Commentary with Mark Swift and Damian Shannon
Interviews:
- NEW Marcus Nispel: Director of Friday the 13th (HD – 28:39)
- NEW Mark Swift and Damian Shannon: Writers of Friday the 13th (HD – 37:09)
- NEW Daniel Pearl: Cinematographer of Friday the 13th (HD – 23:00)
NEW Friday the 13th (2009): A Killer New Beginning (HD – 18:22)
Archive Extras:
- Excerpts from Terror Trivia Track (HD – 43:13)
- The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees (HD – 11:24)
- Hacking Back/Slashing Forward (HD – 11:41)
- The 7 Best Kills (HD – 22:32)
- Deleted Scenes (HD – 3 in all – 8:20)
Promo Materials:
- Teaser (HD – 1:28)
- Trailer (HD – 2:25)
- TV Spots (HD – 15 in all – 6:34)
- Electronic Press Kit (HD – 35:10)
- NEW Image Gallery (HD – 50 in all)

DISC TWO (KILLER CUT)

Audio Commentary Alexandra-Heller Nicolas and Josh Nelson

Three brand new commentaries are included with this release. The first features director Marcus Nispel, and the second features screenwriters Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, both covering the Theatrical Cut of the film. No moderators are involved, so each fly solo, and do so well enough by diving into the histories and their own memories of the making of the film. The third commentary features film critic and author Alexandra Heller-Nicolas and film critic Josh Nelson covering the Killer Cut of the film. It’s a more introspective and academic track, but like the other two commentaries, there’s plenty of mirth to be had, as well. Next are three brand new interviews, one with Marcus Nispel, one with Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, and one with cinematographer Daniel Pearl. Like the commentaries, all three are terrific deep dives into the making of the film, spilling some occasional dirt, but it’s Pearl who’s perhaps the most interesting of all. A Killer New Beginning is a new video essay by film critic and Friday ‘09 uberfan Matt Donato, putting forth the notion (which to some degree is covered a little better in the Killer Cut commentary) that fans shouldn’t fear remakes of beloved horror franchises, especially Friday the 13th, which made its bones on constant repetition.

Next is a set of vintage materials. Excerpts from Terror Trivia Track replaces the picture-in-picture experience, which features interviews and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees chronicles how the film came into being. Hacking Back/Slashing Forward features the cast talking about the history of the series. The 7 Best Kills shows the making of each scene, which also includes interviews with the cast and crew. Next are three Deleted Scenes, which are ultimately of little consequence; the film’s teaser and theatrical trailers; 15 TV spots; the film’s Electronic Press Kit, which includes interviews with the cast and crew, as well as B-Roll footage; and a new Image Gallery containing 50 on-set and behind-the-scenes photos.

Revisiting Friday the 13th (2009), it’s clear that the filmmakers behind it wanted to do something special with it, even if it was a Platinum Dunes production of a franchise reboot. For some of the fans, they weren’t successful, but for others, it’s a fun and enjoyable horror movie. Arrow’s 4K UHD treatment certainly presents the opportunity for those who were less than favorable to it the first time around to give it a second chance. Regardless, it’s a great presentation and a highly recommended release.

- Tim Salmons

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