Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Five years after the horrible bloodbath at Camp Crystal Lake, new counselors roam the area, not sensing the ominous lurking presence that proves that the grisly legend is real.
Friday the 13th Part 2 is a competent but formulaic slasher sequel that introduces Jason Voorhees as the primary antagonist, which is its most historically significant contribution. The plot is thin and recycled — horny teens at a camp get picked off one by one — offering little beyond genre mechanics. Acting is serviceable at best, with most characters functioning as victims rather than developed roles. Cinematography has some effective atmosphere and woodland tension, earning a modest edge over the first film's workmanlike visuals. Novelty is low; despite the franchise importance of establishing Jason, the film is largely derivative of its predecessor and the slasher wave it rode. The ending delivers a reasonably tense final-girl sequence with a decent shock reveal, lifting it slightly above average for the genre.