Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Infamous teen slasher film has gory violence, sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Friday the 13th (1980)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 47 parent reviews
Parents say that this slasher film has become a classic, though it contains significant levels of violence, nudity, and language that may not be suitable for younger audiences. While many enjoy its suspense and iconic status, some parents caution against allowing children under 14 to watch due to its intense scenes and sexual content, urging viewers to consider their maturity levels.
- classic horror
- graphic violence
- unsuitable for children
- nudity and language
- suitable for teens
Summarized with AI
Based on 163 kid reviews
What's the Story?
A summer camp, known locally as "Camp Blood" following gruesome murders decades before, prepares to reopen on a dark and stormy FRIDAY THE 13TH. A group of young, carefree counselors is gathering for orientation and, sure enough, an unseen attacker starts repeating history, killing them off one by one.
Is It Any Good?
Points go to the movie's creative, gross-out makeup (by cult-hero special effects artist Tom Savini), which made a splash at the time -- even if it looks unrealistic by today's standards. But it's not just the visuals where Friday the 13th hasn't aged well. Even in the metaphor-stretched world of horror where intellectuals can find deeper meaning lurking in every corner, nobody really argues for clever undertones in Friday the 13th. Yet this franchise is infamous: Hockey-masked "Jason" costumes are still recognizable today, and sequels and games continue to be produced.
Unlike other popular films in the genre, Friday the 13th doesn't particularly work as a whodunit, because the Camp Blood murderer is nobody we've met or really know anything about. That just leaves the movie as one killing after another, with abundant, er, dead space in between. The doomed camp counselors go swimming, play "strip Monopoly," and chat unremarkably. You can see the movie's influences on the genre, but today's teens -- exposed to the likes of everything from Hostel to Insidious -- may be underwhelmed by the movie's scares and unmoved by the fake-looking gore. Still, horror fans will likely be intrigued by its cult status and the origin story of one of the most famous horror franchises to date.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the victims in Friday the 13th and other typical slasher movies. Why does the murderer often prey on the most sexually active characters first? What message does this send?
At the time of this movie's release, in the aftermath of the blockbuster hit Halloween, there were many gory movies intended to appeal to the "teen market." Why do you think these movies remain so popular?
Did you notice any stereotypes in the film? What do you think is the effect of seeing these repeated on-screen?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 9, 1980
- On DVD or streaming : October 5, 2004
- Cast : Adrienne King , Harry Crosby , Kevin Bacon
- Director : Sean Cunningham
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : graphic violence, profanity, sex, alcohol and drug use
- Last updated : April 22, 2024
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