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Jason returns in this fan film, Legends.
As a whole, the horror genre has always been looked upon as second-rate. Case-in-point: only one true horror film has won an Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1991, The Silence of the Lambs, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, rightfully took the honor. The most recent horror film to even be nominated was The Sixth Sense in 1999. While the genre seems to get the short end of the stick nearly every year, the impact horror films have on filmmaking and society is a tough point to argue against.
There are many horror flicks that have shaped the movie industry. One of the most popular is the Friday the 13th franchise. While some films in the series are better than others, the Jason Voorhees character is iconic. An entire generation grew up with these films, and most remain loyal fans to this day, as Freddy vs. Jason’s 80 million dollar box office proves. A film made nearly a quarter-century after the original Friday.
I’ve seen quite a few fan films, and most are poor amateur efforts. Some are more comedic in their approach, while others stay true to the creepy nature of early Friday films. Gerald J. Godbout III’s effort, Legends, is probably one of the better fan films I have seen, and definitely the best Friday fan film.
The general storyline focuses on Michael (Allan Marrero): a struggling writer with a severe case of writer’s block. In hopes of clearing his mind, he joins his sister and a few friends for a weekend at Crystal Lake. What ensues is a night of sheer terror that distorts the line between fiction and reality. The famous movie madman, Jason Voorhees, has somehow entered the real world to dispose of anyone and everyone in his way.
Indeed, these guys are not professional actors, but quite honestly, they rival a decent percentage of actual Friday actors. Marerro is very believable, especially when he shows his frustration as a writer. His sister Laurie (Jennifer Ayala) is great as well. Marerro and Ayala’s on-screen chemistry is undeniable.
Jason is played by Jimmie Johnson and he does quite an admirable job. The make-up effects resemble the look of Jason from Part VII very closely... right down to the exposed jaw-bone. He shows flashes of Kane Hodder-like acting at times: he’s clearly done his homework. Awesome job!
The characters Nick and Rick (Obie Diaz and Omar Vazquez) are quite annoying at times... the ride to Crystal Lake sticks in my mind. I assume that’s what Godbout was going for, but man... they were a tad unlikeable. That’s not a bad thing, however, as you need a good mix of likeable and unlikeable characters in a decent flick. The mere fact that I have an opinion one way or the other of them proves that the character development is better than adequate.
Props are in order to Godbout for the atmosphere of the film. This feels like one of the earlier films in the Friday series (arguably the “better” ones). The shots of the full moon... the eerie music... everything marries together nicely here. The home video camera shots are a nice Blair Witch-esque touch as well. Even some of the special effects are quite commendable. The best: seeing John’s (Willie Harper) decapitated head in the cooler.
Top notch.
The ending is clever, though a tad from out of left field. All loose ends are tied up, though... always a good thing. Plus, we get a quick visit from another famous horror icon, but you’ll have to watch the film to find out just who it is.
In all, this is a very well done fan film by any standard. The story is simple enough to follow easily, but not so shallow as to be laughable. Running time is approximately 50 minutes, and I think it could easily be extended to the typical 90-ish minute Friday the 13th length. Throw in a bit more character development and some more kills, and you’ve got yourself another entry in the Friday franchise.
It would certainly be better than Jason Takes Manhattan!
Mental note: I’ve got to stop bashing that flick!
If you’d like to check it out (and I highly recommend it), head over to the Legends home page. The file is quite large, so those of you without a broadband connection may be waiting for a long time... but it’s worth it!
Flick Figures: 6 dead bodies; 1 drunk guy; 0 breasts; proper amount of swearing; bongo-banging; baseball bat to the back and face; multiple stabbings; face slashed; heart-ripping; heart-squishing; head rolls.
This Friday: The Horror Guru dissects the “Ultimate Edition” Friday the 13th boxset from Paramount.
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