***Jason lives again as a horrific zombie, plus Megan (Jennifer Cooke)***
Released in 1986, "Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI" is notable for being the premiere of the zombie Jason as his rotting corpse is resurrected in the prologue indirectly through the actions of Tommy Jarvis and a friend who recently got out of a mental institution. This prologue also shows that Tommy didn't murder Pam at the end of Part V and that he was simply experiencing hallucinations from his trauma with the diabolic Voorhees spirit. Another difference with Part VI is that we finally get to see a busload of kids, children, at Crystal Lake, although they changed the name to Forest Green. Tommy runs to the local police to inform them that Jason has been resurrected but the sheriff, of course, doesn't believe him (would you?). His hot daughter, Megan, is attracted to Tommy and, when the bloody body count rises, the sheriff realizes that Jason is indeed alive.
Tommy Jarvis is played by Thom Mathews rather than John Shepherd, who was excellent in Part V. Thom is a worthy replacement, but I prefer Shepherd's brooding charisma.
The film features one of the best Friday girls in Megan, played by Jennifer Cooke, although Pam from the previous film is my favorite. Other than that, though, the females in Part VI are rather weak, although the redhead in the Volkswagen is notable (Nancy McLoughlin).
The campiness of Part III and Part V returns for this installment, particularly with the goofy paintball warriors and the graveyard caretaker. But “Jason Lives” is noticeably superior to Part III and shares the kinetic vibe of Part V.
As far as locations go, Part VI returns to the East for filming, being shot roughly 40 miles East of Atlanta in Covington & Rutledge .
BOTTOM LINE: You either like the Friday the 13th series or you don't. Part VI is another retread of the same Friday formula with the entertaining spirit of Part V and the distinction of Jason now being totally inhuman, a horrific zombie; not to mention the addition of children at the camp. It also has a better story than parts III and IV with the sheriff and his daughter & Tommy going after Jason, plus Megan is one of the top Friday girls in the series.
The film runs 91 minutes and the cut version 86 minutes.
GRADE: B/B-
Going through the F13 franchise again, skipping Part V since I just watched an online review (and remembered not caring for it much), and this one was... odd. Went full on with the cheese which makes sense since Jason is brought back to life through the dumb ass decision by Tommy Jarvis to not only dig up the grave but stabbing the corpse with an iron post, he was just asking for trouble (and running into the sheriff's office yelling like a psycho didn't help). I did like the female lead but everyone else, including Thom Matthews, was a bit bland. **2.75/5**
