31 Days of
Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!
"Freddy vs. Jason" (2003)
What surprises me most about tonight's film isn't the gore
or rampant carnage. It's that the film even exists at all! The concept of
pitting character vs. character has existed on schoolyards for centuries, but
this is one of the first time in years Hollywood actually brought an idea to
life. Decades before, Godzilla fought King Kong and Frankenstein's Monster met
up with the Wolfman. But this? This was a whole other story.
Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger were 80's slasher-kings.
Audiences flocked to theaters not to see the heroes survive, but the
villains do their grim handiwork. Jason was a silent force of death. Immovable,
slow, but somehow inevitable. He never ran after you, yet he was always just a
step behind. Jason's wrath was often quick and cold. It almost represented a
weird Puritanical form of morality. Those who survived to the film's end often
did so by avoiding all the vices other characters indulged in. I'm not sure if this
was some odd lesson in ethics, but moviegoers didn't seem to care. The hockey
mask became an icon for something other than hockey.
Freddy's the polar opposite. For Mr. Kreuger, simply
dispatching teenage victims wasn't enough. Like Jason, his mission was one of
vengeance. Unlike Jason, Freddy preferred to play with his prey. Theatrical,
flashy, and with an eye for dark irony, Freddy would often construct elaborate
nightmare-scenarios for his victims. Their deaths often connected to some inner
fear or mistake, characters would be forced to play a surreal game with Freddy
before he moved in for the kill. And when he did, it was usually with a
wise-crack.
Jason's the businessman: cold, careless, efficient.
Freddy's the showman: charismatic, creative, malicious.
So who would win
in a fight? Let's find out!
The Plot:
The residents of Springwood, Freddy's old haunting grounds
(literally), have finally learned how to stop the demonic dream-smith. Each of
the town's parents secretly laces their children's food with Hypnocil, a new
drug that suppresses all dreaming during sleep. As such, Freddy has no way to
torment new victims. Despite his bloody legacy, the town begins to forget about
him.
Understandably pissed off, Freddy searches the bowels of
hell for another way to spread fear. He finds it resting quietly on the bottom
of Camp Crystal Lake. Luring the masked behemoth from his slumber, Freddy
tricks Jason into service. Taking the guise of Pamela Vorhee's (Jason's mom and
the killer from the original "Friday the 13th"), Freddy orders Jason
to travel to Springwood and begin carving up teenagers all over again. As Jason
always listens to his mom, the giant complies, machete in hand.
Using Jason as a puppet, Freddy plans to reignite his memory
in the minds of Springwood through the path of bodies left in the wake of a
machete. All he needs is the fear to kick up again, for the whispers and rumors
to swirl around town, and Freddy will regain his ability to pull teenagers into
the dream world for slaughter.
Problem is, Jason's a little too efficient at his job. Once
Freddy regains his power, his methodical approach is often cut short.
Literally. Simply put, Jason is stealing all of Freddy's victims.
Ding! There's goes
the bell.
The Flavor:
This film is a blood-soaked love letter to even casual
horror fans. "Freddy vs. Jason" takes everything we like about these
monsters, from their characters to the feel of their films, and meshes them all
together. We get plenty of dark-lit moments where Jason lurks in the shadows,
his signature tune whispering out before someone's head flies off. We also get
some nifty nightmare sequences to watch Freddy channel his inner artist. And
both events are infused with ample dark humor and entrails.
Director Ronny Yu clearly wanted his audience to have fun. Although "Freddy vs. Jason" is filled with fan tributes, no previous knowledge of any older films is necessary to enjoy
this one. Both monsters are given brief, clear-cut motivations and back stories
to fill in the uninitiated.
The pace moves quickly, so don't expect much in
the way of a sensible plot. That the filmmakers were even able to come up with
a half-way serviceable excuse to combine these franchises is enough. The film
doesn't care much about its human cast, but does a great job painting Freddy
and Jason as utter opposites. Physically, mentally, and even elementally
(you'll get it when you watch) clashing, these horror icons make total sense as
enemies.
Most of the special effects are practical. A touch of CGI
shows up on occasion, but even then just to highlight the makeup work. Ample
use of blood-pouches and limb props is on display here. While many of the kills
are impressive, though, nothing compares to the final brawl between the movie's
stars.
The success of "Freddy vs. Jason" hinged entirely on how
satisfying their battles were. And wow, did the film ever deliver. When these
two lock horns, body parts start flying. Both monsters get severely sliced up, yet keep
on going. And as physically imposing as Jason seems over Freddy, both sides are
pretty evenly matched. The spectacle is messy, macabre, and lots of fun.
Best Paired with:
Any slasher fan, be they Freddy/Jason-centric or no, should
check out this film. Yes, the story's kinda threadbare, but that's hardly the
point. "Freddy vs. Jason" was designed to deliver the best elements
of both franchises, and neither prided itself on amazing plots. The hook was
the spectacle, the show, the haunted-house vibe of a movie that paraded
rebellious behavior in your teenage face before then trying to tear it off.
Accompanying Brew:
Tonight's entry is a clash of the horror titans. Let's break
into the Imperial stash once more, shall we?
Name: Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin
Brewery: Long Trail
Where Brewed: Bridgewater
Corners, VT
ABV: 8.0%
Style: Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Color: A
fireplace-crackle of orange/red, Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin is a bit hazier
than other pumpkin beers I've tried. There's a slight cloudy appearance to the
color profile. I'm hoping this brew is unfiltered.
Aroma: The Fall Trio (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove) burst forward
on the nose and are mixed with a candy-like sweet scent. The overall impression
is that you're about to bite into some decadent Autumn dessert.
Taste: Long Trail
Imperial Pumpkin makes a bold statement with its sweet flavor. The sugary notes
hit you right away and pair up with the Fall Trio immediately. There's a slight
twinge of tangy/tart flavor at the tip of the tongue, perhaps some of the
pumpkin itself, but most of the flavor is dominated by the sweet/spicy combo.
Powerful as these flavors are, I'm surprised at how well they're
balanced.
Imperial Pumpkin brews can easily grow cloying after a few sips. The
flavor combo can become overwhelming to the palate, like drinking liquid candy.
Here, there's a nice bite of bitterness towards the end of a taste which brings
down some of the more aggressive flavors, keeping things fresh.
Aftertaste: For a brew
with so much forward sweetness, a hop
kick at the end goes a long way. Such is the case here, as the finale of
bittering flavors wash away much of the sweet, letting the spices play on
the tongue alone. This helps give the beer staying power. It's refreshing from
sip to sip without getting too syrupy.
Body: Medium bodied, which is not what I'd expect from an
Imperial. Usually, they're heavy bruisers. But Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin has
a nice smoothness to the body without being overly heavy. Very nice.
Pair: Freshly baked
breads, savory meats, and apples. Each lets the heavy spice flavor contribute
to the meal.
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