Roger Ebert Hated This 25%-Rated Horror Movie With a Passion: "Mindless Bloody Violence"

Roger Ebert was more than just a film critic, he was the voice of a generation – his reviews could make or break a movie. However, he was skeptical of horror films, especially ones where violence and gore overshadowed the plot and characters.

In 1984, the fourth movie in the Friday the 13th franchise, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, landed on his desk and Ebert gave one of the most scathing reviews of his career.

He called the movie "immoral and reprehensible piece of trash" and urged viewers to reconsider what they were watching.

Roger Ebert Gave a Scathing Review of 'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'

Ebert said that after watching the movie, he felt despondent about the future of young people:

“That is a very, very depressing commentary. Really, makes me sad to think of all those moviegoers spending four and a half, five bucks, most of them teenage kids, sitting there watching this sad, cynical, depressing movie.”

The critic was convinced that the movie could instill a nihilistic worldview in young viewers:

“90 minutes of teenagers being strangled, stabbed, impaled, chopped up, and mutilated, that's all this movie is; just mindless bloody violence.

Just think of the message this film offers to its teenage audience. The world is a totally evil place, this movie says; it'll kill you.”

'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter' Indeed Wasn't a Cinematic Gem…

By the fourth movie, the franchise had already begun to decline. The third installment, which was released in 3D, wasn't a huge success despite introducing Jason's iconic hockey mask. The Final Chapter was intended to be the last film in the series.

The original script called for Jason to be decapitated, but special effects artist Tom Savini advocated for keeping the character alive. Ultimately, Jason escapes the morgue where he was sent at the end of the previous movie and begins a new massacre at Crystal Lake.

Another group of stereotypical teenagers is killed one by one. The only thing setting this movie apart from the others is the appearance of Tommy Jarvis, a character who would become central to subsequent installments.

…but It Wasn't That Horrible Either

From an artistic standpoint, The Final Chapter is not a masterpiece. The script is derivative, the characters are one-dimensional, and most of the murders pale in comparison to those in previous and subsequent movies.

However, Ebert may have overestimated the film's impact – he was concerned that, after witnessing enough carnage, teenagers would begin to view the world as an utterly evil place. This, of course, didn't happen.

The Final Chapter was quickly forgotten, but a fifth installment was released a year later, and the franchise continued for several more decades.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'?

• Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter has 25% from critics and 52% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.0/10.

• On Letterboxd, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter scored 3.1/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'?

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is available to stream on Paramount+ and Prime Video.