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Friday the 13th Part 2 Review

· superuser

Friday the 13th Part 2

Review Ratings

Art/Style: 
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
Production Value: 
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
Content: 
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
Personal Enjoyment: 
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
Overall Popularity: 
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8
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final_score: 7.8

Final Review Score

7.8 / 10

Great

Directed by Steve Miner from a screenplay by Ron Kurz, Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) holds a monumental place in slasher history as the film that officially introduced Jason Voorhees as the franchise’s primary antagonist. Taking over the director’s chair from original producer Sean S. Cunningham, Miner retained the dark, woods-bound suspense of the original while escalating the body count and establishing a new physical threat. In this detailed Friday the 13th Part 2 movie review, we examine how burlap-mask terror, intelligent final girl dynamics, and tense wilderness isolation cemented the series’ long-term legacy.

Packanack Stalking, Campfire Legends, and the Burlap Mask

Five years after the bloodbath at Camp Crystal Lake, a new counselor training facility opens nearby at Packanack Lodge, led by Paul Holt (John Furey) and his child psychology student girlfriend, Ginny Field (Amy Steel). During an opening night around the campfire, Paul recounts the urban legend of Jason Voorhees (Warrington Gillette / Steve Dash)—the drowned boy who allegedly survived in the wilderness and witnessed his mother’s decapitation. Though Paul dismisses Jason as a myth, the hermit killer lives in a crudely built forest shack centered around a macabre shrine. Donning a single-eyehole burlap sack mask, Jason systematically stalks and murders the counselors who wander off into the dark woods. As the stormy night worsens, Ginny must rely on her psychological insight to survive a desperate showdown inside Jason’s terrifying lair.

Claustrophobic Wilderness Staging and Harry Manfredini’s Evolving Score

Steve Miner excels at creating relentless atmosphere, utilizing tight camerawork, rain-drenched cabins, and shadows to build claustrophobic tension. The practical kills—though heavily edited by the MPAA upon original release—remain impactfully staged and visceral thanks to effective practical effects work. Franchise composer Harry Manfredini returns to expand his iconic score, weaving urgent brass fanfares into his signature string stabs and vocal chants, heightening the panic during the film’s frantic forest chases.

Amy Steel’s Legendary Final Girl Performance and Early Jason Physicality

Amy Steel delivers one of the absolute best performances in the entire slasher subgenre as Ginny Field, bringing intelligence, quick thinking, and realistic vulnerability to her battle for survival. Her psychological tactic during the film’s climax remains a genius highlight of horror cinema. Stunt performer Steve Dash provides the majority of Jason’s physical presence, imparting a raw, feral, and humanly frantic energy to the killer before he acquired his famous hockey mask in the subsequent chapter.

The Final Verdict

Ultimately, this Friday the 13th Part 2 review celebrates an exceptional, suspense-filled, and landmark horror sequel. Driven by Steve Miner’s confident direction, Amy Steel’s iconic performance as Ginny, and the terrifying debut of Jason Voorhees as the forest killer, it stands as a top-tier entry in slasher history.

Information

  • Title: Friday the 13th Part 2
  • Release Date: April 30, 1981
  • Director: Steve Miner
  • Stars: Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King, Kirsten Baker, Stu Charno, Warrington Gillette, Steve Dash
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller

This post is part of Friday the 13th Movies Ranked