A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
none
The movie's sexually active characters get murdered, implying that only virginal teens deserve to live.
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Positive Role Models
very little
Most of the teens are stereotypical -- drinking, behaving carelessly, and thinking about sex -- the boys teasing the girls, and the girls flirting and giggling in response. But Alice is more responsible and practical, proving herself to be smart and resourceful around camp.
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Diverse Representations
Flagged for concern
Teen girls are sexualized: Both teen boys and older men refer to their looks and use terms such as "sweetheart"; one forces a nonconsensual kiss (see Violence & Scariness). The only female teen who's portrayed as practical and responsible also has shorter hair and dresses in a more traditionally masculine way, leaning into stereotypes about "types" of women -- "loose women" are bad, etc. All characters on-screen are White. One wears a feathered headdress, dances, and makes a noise bringing his hand to his mouth in an offensive stereotype of Native Americans. A police officer jokingly calls him "Cochise" and "Tonto," further leaning into the stereotype. A local who appears to struggle with mental health is referred to as "crazy" and "loony."
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Characters are attacked and killed up close: sliced in the throat with a knife, chopped in the forehead with an ax, speared in the throat, stabbed in the stomach, shot with arrows, and decapitated -- the latter of which is so unrealistic that it appears to be played for laughs. In a flashback scene, a young boy is shown from a distance drowning in the middle of a lake while pleading for his mother. Slapping and punching. Passing mention of rape, robbery, and homicide. A scene in hospital involves an injection. A teen pretends to drown and kisses a girl without consent when she gives him mouth-to-mouth. Constant threat and jump scares, though killings are actually quite quick; blood, wounds, and dead bodies aren't shown on-screen for long. Modern audiences may find much of the film more cheesy than scary, as the gore is often unrealistic and the acting only so-so.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Brief female nudity (breasts, buttocks) and male nudity (buttocks) while two teen characters have sex. In a flashback, two characters are on the verge of having sex before they're murdered. Frequent references to sex, as well as flirting, kissing, and caressing. Characters play "strip Monopoly" but stop before anyone is naked.
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Language
some
Occasional use of "s--t," "goddammit," "pisser," "hell," "damn," and "oh my God."
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Products & Purchases
very little
Coca-Cola signs are prominent in a shop, and characters play the Monopoly board game.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Teens smoke marijuana and drink beer during a game of "strip Monopoly." A cop accuses the camp counselors of being high -- they aren't, at least not yet.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Friday the 13th is the genre-defining slasher horror movie that started the long-running franchise. Expect lots of slasher horror violence, blood, and gore as camp counselors are picked off one by one in a variety of gruesome ways: axes, spears, arrows, knives, machete. Characters are speared in the head, chopped in the forehead, and decapitated. In a flashback scene, a young boy is shown drowning in Crystal Lake while pleading for his mother. Sexual content includes brief nudity (breasts, buttocks) and moaning during a sex scene, characters playing a game of "strip Monopoly," and talk of sex throughout. Characters smoke pot, drink beer, and occasionally use language like "s--t" and "goddammit." One scene includes offensive Native American stereotyping and because (spoiler alert!) sexually active teens are killed, the film sends the toxic message that only virginal teens deserve to live. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
A summer camp, known locally as "Camp Blood" following gruesome murders decades before, prepares to reopen on a dark and stormy FRIDAY THE 13TH. A group of young, carefree counselors is gathering for orientation and, sure enough, an unseen attacker starts repeating history, killing them off one by one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the victims in Friday the 13th and other typical slasher movies. Why does the murderer often prey on the most sexually active characters first? What message does this send?
At the time of this movie's release, in the aftermath of the blockbuster hit Halloween, there were many gory movies intended to appeal to the "teen market." Why do you think these movies remain so popular?
Did you notice any stereotypes in the film? What do you think is the effect of seeing these repeated on-screen?
