Whether or not its Noticed, Friday the thirteenth and even I Know What You Did Final Summer season, Hollywood appears incapable of doing proper by the followers.
This week, we had been handled to the teaser poster and plot synopsis for the legacy sequel to I Know What You Did Final Summer season, and it could as properly have been copy and pasted from the primary movie. A generic hook, the identical title of the movie launched almost 30 years in the past, and the rattling close to very same plot synopsis: “When 5 pals inadvertently trigger a lethal automotive accident, they cowl up their involvement and make a pact to maintain it a secret somewhat than face the implications. A 12 months later, their previous comes again to hang-out them they usually’re compelled to confront a horrifying reality: somebody is aware of what they did final summer season… and is hell-bent on revenge. As one after the other the chums are stalked by a killer, they uncover this has occurred earlier than, they usually flip to 2 survivors of the legendary Southport Bloodbath of 1997 for assist.“
Don’t get me mistaken, you might basically say that Scream 5 had this actual situation (with it simply being referred to as SCREAM upon launch and following an identical plot), however I’d argue there’s fairly a distinction. The Scream franchise has the Stab franchise inside it, which permits them to touch upon their very own collection in a meta approach. Parallels will be referred to as out by characters as a result of all they should do is watch the Stab movies to know what occurred prior. On this Final Summer season sequel, a gaggle of pals discover themselves within the EXACT scenario that occurred to Julie James and her pals 30 years prior. A scenario that only a few persons are imagined to have recognized about. But not solely has it gotten on the market sufficient for it to be recreated, however for this new group to hook up with it taking place previously. Final Summer season isn’t and has by no means been Meta, so any connection would simply be convoluted.
Why is redoing the primary movie’s story the ONLY resolution with regards to selecting up this story 30 years later? However hell, no less than we’re getting a brand new I Know What You Did Final Summer season…
Have a look at our different horror franchises. Nightmare on Elm Avenue has been on the again burner for 15 years regardless of Freddy Krueger nonetheless being sufficient of a popular culture determine to seem in video video games and TV reveals. But you’re telling me we couldn’t get a sequel? I perceive that the Craven Property is stingy with the rights, however let’s transfer on! Hell, Michael Myers had a latest trilogy that basically erased the opposite movies within the franchise. What the hell are we even doing right here? And there’s the baffling choice to prequel-ize Friday the thirteenth. As a result of that’s what I need from my Jason Voorhees collection: a movie about his life earlier than turning into a hockey mask-wearing, machete-wielding psychopath.
Many of the enchantment of the Friday the thirteenth franchise comes from Jason Voorhees stalking and killing varied teenagers and younger adults. There’s loads of intercourse and violence, they usually are likely to go for leisure worth over logic. There are 12 Friday the thirteenth movies and almost each single considered one of them follows this method. So it’s fairly shocking that the franchise died after the very profitable 2009 reboot. It’s made all of the extra baffling when you think about that Friday the thirteenth followers have been CLAMORING for extra. The lawsuit sophisticated issues for years, which is probably going why we ended up in our scenario. However that doesn’t excuse the unusual selections about bringing the franchise again, post-lawsuit.
Linda Cardellini is a fully incredible actress however I can’t think about a world the place I give a shit about Pamela Voorhees and her issues. She’s a villain. We had a whole movie that confirmed her taking unjust revenge on counselors that had completely nothing to do along with her son’s demise. I don’t, and have by no means cared about Pamela’s plight. We received greater than sufficient of her within the first movie, and including any extra to her backstory simply has the potential to taint that first movie. What number of instances does it have to be mentioned that we don’t want extra villain background earlier than somebody truly begins listening?
It’s infuriating that we are able to’t get a correct Jason-led Friday movie, but we’re getting a prequel about his mom that nobody requested for. This looks like yet one more studio making an attempt to examine the containers on how one can benefit from a fan group. As a result of it could have the Crystal Lake title connected to it, nevertheless it’s so removed from every part we all know that makes Friday the thirteenth what it’s, it could as properly be one thing else fully. At the moment of promoting, attaching your personal unique concepts to established properties appears to be the norm.
Hell, even the Noticed franchise is coping with artistic struggles regardless of coming off of one of the profitable entries within the franchise. How on earth do you course-correct your franchise after so many missteps after which proceed to shit the mattress with it? Simply give us Noticed XI with Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, and Costas Mandylor. It’s actually not that troublesome. But, if rumors are to be believed, one of many producers needs a reboot. Once more, what the hell are we doing right here?! Does Hollywood hate cash? I’m starting to suppose so…
What do you suppose? Am I simply being too cynical? Has it simply been unhealthy luck that we’ve had so a lot of our horror icons placed on ice?
