Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Repetitive sequel has gruesome violence, sex, drug use.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Friday the 13th: Part III
What's the Story?
In FRIDAY THE 13TH: PART III, a group of teens arrive at a cabin near Crystal Lake to let loose for the weekend. Little do they know that masked killer Jason Voorhees (Richard Brooker) is lurking in the shadows waiting to pick them off one by one.
Is It Any Good?
For those who enjoyed the original and first sequel of the franchise, there's enough to like here because it's pretty much the same -- some teens head to Crystal Lake and get picked off one by one. There are a few more inventive killings thrown into the mix for Friday the 13th: Part III -- memorably one that involves a teen being macheted between the legs and splayed open like a turkey -- and it's clear where scenes have been set up to allow for its 3D screenings -- a pole reaching out toward the audience, a spear flying out toward a character's eye -- but otherwise there's nothing new here. Characters are similarly generic, sex-crazed teens, none of whom we get to know well enough to care a huge amount when they meet the same pointy reckonings as those who came before.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the level of violence in Friday the 13th: Part III. Having been made in the 1980s, how did the violence and gore compare to modern slasher-style horrors? Do you think the film is as scary today as it would have been on its original release?
How were drinking, smoking, and drugs portrayed? Were there consequences? Did it glamorize them?
This is the third film in a franchise that has spawned sequels and remakes into double figures. Have you seen any other movies in the franchise? How did this one compare? Can you think of other famous horror franchises that have gone on to include a similar number of films? What similarities and differences are there?
How did the movie portray sex and relationships? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
The movie includes stereotypical gender roles and a lack of ethnic diversity within the cast -- with the few Black characters portrayed as being in a threatening biker gang. Why is it important to show positive representation on-screen? How might the film be different if it was made today?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 13, 1982
- On DVD or streaming : October 17, 2000
- Cast : Dana Kimmell , Tracie Savage , Richard Brooker
- Director : Steve Miner
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : December 11, 2023
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