They just don't make crossover movies like they used to. For all the needless reboots and live-action remakes Hollywood churns out these days, it feels like a missed opportunity not to revive the most shameless cash grab of them all: taking two iconic but unrelated horror characters and smashing them together like Barbie dolls just for the Hell of it. I'm talking MEGAN suplexing Pennywise, Pearl and Aunt Gladys catfighting, the Grabber and Art the Clown beating the crap out of each other — all the ridiculous, crowd-pleasing, blood-soaked carnage we're just leaving on the floor here, people!
This article is part of Trick or Stream, a seasonal series where Tom's Guide writers share their favorite horror movies and thrillers.
I'm a huge fan of "The Nightmare on Elm Street" series, and I was stoked to see the first five movies plus "Freddy vs. Jason" arrive on HBO Max this month. As iconic as the original is, "Freddy vs. Jason" will always be my guilty pleasure favorite, so you can imagine how validated I felt to see it beat out the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" in HBO Max's top 10 earlier this month. That being said, if you're looking to venture back to Elm Street to celebrate spooky season, you'd better do it soon. "Freddy vs. Jason" and the rest of the "Nightmare on Elm Street" catalogue will leave HBO Max on November 1.
What is 'Freddy vs. Jason' about?
"Freddy vs. Jason" is exactly what it says on the tin. This 2003 horror movie pits the dream-hopping Freddy Krueger (Englund) against the machete-wielding Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger) in a showdown that's horrifying, absurd, and undeniably oozing with style.
After Freddy's last killing spree got him trapped in hell, the residents of Springwood have gone to extremes to scrub all traces of him from the history books. But this is a slasher movie we're talking about, and no one who dies ever stays dead (well, no one important anyway). With the last of his power, Freddy manages to resurrect fellow serial killer, Jason Voorhees, and sends the hockey-mask-wearing psychopath on a killing spree to drum up enough fear to put him back in business. But when Jason won't stop chopping up Freddy's intended victims, the two face off in a battle that takes them to both the dream world and Camp Crystal Lake.
'Freddy vs. Jason' is a love letter to both franchises
While the spectacle of slasher WrestleMania is the main draw, "Freddy vs. Jason" goes to impressive depths to ground this face-off in the lore of both franchises. It pays homage to the kinds of scares, tropes and characters fans will no doubt be familiar with, which turns the movie into a sort of "greatest hits" compilation that plays to each series' strengths.
Lori is the quintessential "Nightmare on Elm Street" protagonist that's anchored the franchise since the beginning, though she's also tied to the series' overarching lore through her father, who was involved in the town's cover-up of Krueger. Meanwhile, you can find distinct "Friday the 13th" archetypes among the extended cast, like her friends Gibb (Katharine Isabelle), a classic party girl, or Linderman (Chris Marquette), a wallflower nerd that's a cross between Shelley from "Part III" and Eddie from "Part VII." It's such a charming product of its time, too, with Kelly Rowland of "Destiny's Child" fame delivering some of the movie's most memorable lines.
Is "Freddy vs. Jason" a good movie? Eh, that's debatable. But it is popcorn entertainment in its purest form. A love letter to both franchises that's irresistibly fun, full of blood-soaked mayhem by the gallon and cheesy one-liners galore. The original "Friday the 13th" director, Sean Cunningham, reportedly came back to produce "Jason Goes to Hell" to see this match-up eventually see the light of day, knowing how much of a crowd-pleaser it would be.
A decade after a "Jason Goes to Hell" after-credits scene teased Freddy's iconic glove snatching Jason's hockey mask, their long-awaited showdown finally escaped from development hell. And I don’t think any other “versus” movie — before or since — has lived up to its title quite like this one. Freddy and Jason absolutely tear into each other with gleefully over-the-top violence. Battles jump between both the dream world and real world to showcase each slasher's distinct strengths without sacrificing Freddy's sense of humor (him chucking Jason around the dream realm's boiler room with hip thrusts never fails to crack me up). Each is put through the wringer at one point or another, and there's a sense of manic delight to be found in watching the monsters that haunted your childhood nightmares get their ass handed to them.
Stream 'Freddy vs. Jason' on HBO Max while you can
"Freddy vs. Jason" is goofy and absurd and an absolute fever dream of a movie — and I can't imagine a better send-off for those two horror titans. This crossover may have been the end of an era for slasher movies, but it was undeniably born out of a love for both franchises and the audiences that continue to celebrate them to this day. And that passion is what keeps me coming back to this slice of the early 2000s every Halloween to rejoin the fun and infectious creative energy.
Given the years of legal fighting it took for "Freddy vs. Jason" to see the light of day, we're not likely to get a rematch anytime soon. But if you're hoping for the "Friday the 13th" franchise to make a comeback, I've got some good news: A24 is cooking up a prequel TV series centered on Pamela Voorhees for Peacock.
Stream "Freddy vs. Jason" on HBO Max until November 1.
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