The Good, The Bad, and The Jason: Ranking the Friday the 13th Franchise

The Friday the 13th franchise is a glorious mess. It’s the kind of series that starts with a grieving mother, somehow winds up in space, and never once apologizes for the ride it takes you on.

While some entries are genre gold, others feel like straight-to-VHS fever dreams. Whether they’re high-quality slashers or lovable disasters, they all contribute to the mythos of Jason Voorhees, who has had more costume changes than a pop star and more deaths than a comic book character.

With Jason Voorhees slashing his way back into the spotlight at Halloween Horror Nights 2025 as part of the new ‘Jason Universe’ expansion, it feels like the perfect time to revisit his cinematic legacy.

I set out to rank the entire Friday the 13th series in a very unscientific method based purely on vibes from their final girl energy, Jason’s presence, potent nostalgia, and sheer dumb fun.

We start strong, spiral gloriously, and then… crash into hell (literally). Let’s face it: if you’re here for logic, you took a wrong turn at Crystal Lake.

🥇 1. Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

The one where Jason becomes Jason.

Not only do we get the iconic hockey mask, but we’re blessed with one of the franchise’s best Final Girls—Chris Higgins. Her performance adds legitimate trauma and emotional depth to the story, especially when she recounts her past encounter with Jason. She’s shown to be strong, vulnerable, and carrying real trauma that makes her confrontation with Jason feel personal and raw.  

The 3D gimmicks are goofy, yes, but the barn showdown still holds up. This is the sweet spot where tone, kills, and character collide. Peak Voorhees.

🥈 2. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Sackhead Jason supremacy.

There’s something primal and terrifying about Jason with a sack on his head and a pickaxe in hand. 

Amy Steel’s Ginny isn’t my first choice of Final Girl, but she’s the people’s champion. She’s revered for being whip-smart, resourceful, and nailing that unforgettable moment using Pamela’s sweater to manipulate Jason. 

The film tightens the pacing, ups the tension, and gives us a slasher villain who feels human and horrifying. No mask? No problem.

It’s rough around the edges in the best way possible, with a backwoods energy that makes the whole thing feel more grounded—and scarier.

🥉 3. Friday the 13th (2009)

A reboot that actually works.

This reboot combines elements of the first three films, trims the fat, and gives us a Jason who is fast, strategic, and brutal. He’s not just a killer—he’s a hunter, setting traps and operating like a full-on predator.

The cold open alone is stronger than some entire entries in the franchise. It’s an entire Friday the 13th movie at the beginning of a Friday the 13th movie, which helps it honor the original while ramping up the stakes and modernizing the mayhem. 

This movie joins Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) as rare proof that remakes and reboots can rule.

4. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

The monster mash of my dreams.

Yeah, it’s technically a crossover. It’s also slasher fan service dialed to 11, but who are we if not slasher fans waiting to be serviced? Freddy is at his snarky best, and Jason plays the immovable object colliding with Freddy’s unstoppable, manipulative force. The final battle is WWE meets The Evil Dead and I was living for every machete swipe and boiler room throwdown. It also garners bonus points for the cornfield massacre.

5. Friday the 13th (1980)

The one that started it all… and took its sweet time.

It’s more of a whodunit than a Jason flick, but Pamela Voorhees makes it unforgettable. 

Betsy Palmer delivers a performance that’s unhinged and tragic, and she brings a level of pathos and rage that gives the film more weight than even I have given it credit for in the past. 

I didn’t love it when I first watched it, and I don’t care to rewatch it outside of a marathon binge, but I’ve grown to appreciate its simplicity and creepy campfire tone over time. Betsy Palmer goes full tilt, and I respect the hell out of that.

6. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Watch out, folks -- Tommy Jarvis has entered the chat.

This is where the franchise leaned fully into the slasher formula, and it works. The kills are nasty, the pace is tight, and we get Corey Feldman giving it his all as young Tommy. Crispin Glover’s dance alone earns this a spot in the top half. It also cleverly continues the events of Part III the very same night, giving us a rare sense of continuity in a franchise known for timeline chaos.

7. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

Undead Jason and meta horror before it was cool.

This movie kicks off with literal lightning resurrecting Jason and just keeps getting weirder (and better) from there. It knows it’s silly, leans into the comedy, and somehow still delivers solid kills. Tommy Jarvis returns older and more traumatized, and the cemetery intro is chef’s kiss. It’s self-aware without feeling cynical.

8. Jason X (2001)

Jason in space. Say no more.

This should not work—but it does. It’s outrageously fun. We get cryo-freezing face kills, nanobot upgrades, and a holodeck scene mocking earlier entries. It’s the kind of late-stage franchise insanity that embraces its own ridiculousness. I can’t defend it on a logical level…but I’ll rewatch it any day.

9. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

Jason takes a boat ride, then…a detour through Times Square.

This entry is like ordering New York-style pizza and getting a microwaved Hot Pocket. 

While most of it takes place on a boat, the few moments Jason actually spends in Manhattan are chef’s kiss camp. The rooftop boxing match is legendary, the toxic sludge ending is hilariously bad, and the Times Square scene is iconic. 

It manages to have just enough charm to float above the worst of the bunch. It’s a mess, but it’s our mess.

10. Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)

Fake Jason. Real fun?

Look, I know this one gets hate. Yes, the reveal is a cop-out, but it it still delivers gnarly kills and weird energy.

The sleaze factor is high, the pacing is brisk, and as a standalone slasher, it’s not the worst. 

Just don’t expect lore consistency or logic. 
Or subtlety. 
Or sanity.

11. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Carrie… but less compelling.

A psychic girl squaring off against Jason should’ve been more iconic. The concept rules, but the execution drags, which sadly makes it one of the blander entries for me.

Jason vs. Telekinesis sounds cooler in concept than it is on screen, largely because the MPAA hacked this one to bits. The kills were compromised and are ultimately underwhelming, and the psychic showdown doesn’t land like it should. This movie’s saving grace is Kane Hodder, who made his debut as Jason and brought serious menace even when the script didn’t.

12. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

The franchise at its most unrecognizable.

This one veers hard into possession territory, barely features Jason, and feels like fanfiction with a studio budget. It’s the clear bottom of the barrel—and the Mariana Trench still isn’t deep enough to describe the gap between this and the rest.

This movie is baffling, largely because Jason’s barely in it. It’s the third time this happens in the franchise, and doesn’t manage to improve the formula. There’s body-hopping, ancient daggers, evil worm demons, and — wait for it — a secret Voorhees family. 

It feels like a failed pilot for a supernatural cop show that just happened to slap Jason’s name on the poster. The only thing that truly lands is the Freddy glove tease at the end—and even that feels like an apology.

Final Thoughts

The Friday the 13th franchise is less a consistent narrative and more a mixtape of slasher energy. It has highs, lows, and a whole lot of middle. Sometimes you get Jason fighting a psychic, sometimes you have him being stitched together by nanotechnology— but that’s part of the charm. No matter how bonkers it gets (and it gets very bonkers), it’s never boring.

This franchise never stayed still. It mutated, rebooted, and crossed over until it became a pop culture icon. Jason Voorhees is a horror icon for a reason, and whether he’s body-hopping or punching heads off, we’ll keep showing up every summer at Crystal Lake.

If you want to experience that chaos up close, Jason’s waiting for you at Halloween Horror Nights 2025…

…just don’t forget to look behind you.