DVD Review: Friday the 13th Part V - A New Beginning (Deluxe Edition)

Release Date: June 16th, 2009
Running Time: 92 minutes

The Film

After covering the first four films and the remake, I’m having a hard time figuring out what to write in my introductions for my coverage of the Friday the 13th franchise. Part IV introduced audiences to Tommy Jarvis—the one person to ever truly killed Jason Voorhees. But the traumatic experience would leave Tommy mentally broken. Part V – A New Beginning brings Tommy back into the spotlight, only now he is a tortured teenager unable to move beyond the horrors of his past. The latest entry in the Deluxe Edition re-releases, A New Beginning is one of the more odd sequels in the franchise fit for only the most ardent Friday the 13th fans.

The film takes places numerous years after Part IV. Tommy Jarvis is now a teenager and has spent his life bouncing around mental institutions. His latest home is a halfway house called Pinehurst, filled with the usual gaggle of misfits there solely to be chopped apart.
Soon after Tommy arrives one of the patients brutally murders another with an axe. The police and paramedics arrive to clean up. But more and more people start dying, including a hillbilly family down the street and some other poor unfortunate souls whose car breaks down. There are minor character interactions and romances, but in general Tommy doesn’t get along with most of the people outside of a sassy kid named Reggie. As the group is whittled down, it appears that the killer is Jason Voorhees, somehow back from the dead. Tommy will once again have to face his greatest fear and take down the infamous killer, but everything is not as it seems.

A New Beginning ranks up there with the more cheesy, campy entries in the series. I mean, c’mon, a fat guy gets hacked to death with an axe for offering chocolate! Having said that, the film is pretty disappointing as a Friday the 13th entry for a few reasons (the ending being the biggest one). First and foremost, the gore is simply not well done. Many of the kills were recycled from previous entries and are off screen. It is cut together so that you see the weapon, a reaction shot, then a shot of the dead body. The tension simply isn’t there. The best kill involves a belt to the eyes, and is more strange than gory. The setting is also off. Jason is at his best when he’s killing at Crystal Lake—a halfway house full of stereotype characters doesn’t make for a very dynamic experience. Honestly, if this wasn’t the second entry in the Tommy Jarvis years, then there would be little reason to watch A New Beginning outside of the goofball tone and odd humor. It definitely ranks up there as one of the “so bad its good” horror films of the 80s.

The DVD

The video is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Like the other Deluxe Editions, this is an improvement over the previous DVD releases. Colors are accurate and only the smallest bit muted. Fine detail is what you would expect from standard definition, but there is a noticeable drop in sharpness in the lower lit scenes. Grain, print damage, and compression problems have been reduced but are still present. It’s not necessarily a pretty transfer, but it gets the job done.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and English/French/Spanish Mono with English/French/Spanish/Portuguese subtitles. The new 5.1 mix is far crisper than the mono tracks, but it is still front-heavy. Most of the effects are placed across the front channels. There isn’t much panning, but the separation helps the mix be more immersive. The rear channels are reserved for atmosphere and music. The music features a clearer dynamic range and is less harsh. Dialogue is balanced and clear.

The Extras

Commentary is provided with Danny Steinmann and a few cast members that pop in now and again. Steinmann is a very peculiar commentator, finding a strange balance between condescending sarcasm and laid back reminiscing. He is also prone to cursing and sexual discussion; nothing too drastic, but still it’s rare to hear a track so casual. The cast members that show up have a good time poking fun at the film and offering up anecdotes from the production.

“New Beginnings” is an 11-minute “Making Of” featurette with interviews covering a variety of topics, including: the script; the humor; and cutting down the gore. It’s not too extensive, but appreciated nonetheless.

“The Crystal Lake Massacres Revisited, Part 2” (10 minutes) is the second entry in the fake newscast documentary. It continues to cover Jason’s trail of killings, but unfortunately tries to embrace a bit of humor which defeats the entire purpose by making it seem less “real.”

“Lost Tales from Camp Blood Part 5” (6 minutes) is the latest entry in the fan-made shorts. Though still far from great, this is one of the better ones on the Deluxe DVDs.

Lastly, the Trailer is offered.

Final Thoughts

Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (Deluxe Edition) is one of the more campy entries in the series. I recommend this title to the diehard Jason fans only; otherwise there are far better Friday the 13th titles (and Deluxe Editions) out there.