The 31 Films for Halloween 2011 reaches number 17 with the second of two films featuring famed killer, Jason Voorhees. The idea of Jason in space was the subject of a classic sketch on Mad TV, Apollo the 13th: Jason Takes NASA. When I heard New Line was going to make an actual movie out of this concept I just rolled my eyes, thinking, “Yup, they've finally run out of ideas.” When I got around to see this title years later, I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this film actually was. This edition, we'll look at Jason X.
- Title: Jason X
- Director: James Isaac
In 2008, Jason is captured by the US Government to be studied. Taking a page out the Umbrella Corporation handbook, scientists are enlisted to examine his stellar regenerative abilities in the hopes of utilizing it for militaristic purposes. Jason breaks loose and starts attacking anyone near him. He is led to a cryogenic chamber and is frozen.
Centuries later, a group of astronauts come down to Earth to search through the ruins of the planet. They come across Jason as well as Rowan, a scientist in the cryogenic lab that held Jason captive. The group brings both Jason and Rowan back to their vessel. Shortly after Rowan regains her consciousness, she is given a tour of the vessel, unaware that Jason is also on board.
Soon, Jason comes back and goes back to his killing ways. No one ever said these films were short on creative ways to kill people. The kills on the shuttle start with a clever use of liquid nitrogen. The group fights back, using their futuristic weapons and often cause Jason to retreat. After being manhandled by a cyborg, KM-14, Jason is knocked into a nanotech-repair machine. This brings about the creation of Uber Jason.
The Review
The idea of Jason in space is ridiculous to the point where you find yourself watching it with a smile on your face. Much like with The New Blood, this team of space travelers give Jason some great fights, using lasers and slick martial arts. Director Isaac and his cast have a lot of fun with the material. Given the over-the-top atmosphere, this one has brutal kills, but they are blatantly cartoonish in a Peter Jackson/Sam Raimi sort-of-way.
Kane Hodder returns as Jason, and continues to show why he is the best actor to play him. Lexa Doig is fine as the lead hero, Rowan. Lisa Ryder shines as the quirky android, KM-14, and has some interesting chemistry with co-star Chuck Campbell, who plays Tsunaron. Fans of the video game, Dead Space, will get a kick out of seeing Peter Mensah as Sgt. Brodski, a role that foreshadows his in-game performance as Zach Hammond. David Cronenberg and Boyd Banks have small, but amusing, roles that will get chuckles out of the audience.
Conclusion
Putting Jason in space is such a goofy notion that it doesn't surprise me it was critically lambasted. Those who dig deep enough will see it serves as an great satire of the Alien films as well as 50's spacefare like It! The Terror from Beyond Space. After The New Blood, this is the most entertaining of the Friday the 13thseries.
Join the Conversation