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It’s spooky season, and for a great many movie lovers out there, that means it’s time to binge on some horror. As a result, arguably the biggest crossover in the history of the genre has found new life on the Max streaming service. 2003’s “Freddy vs. Jason” has been sitting firmly in the streamer’s top ten movie charts as of late, with viewers very interested in the cinematic showdown between Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees to get them into the spirit of Halloween.
“Freddy vs. Jason” is currently at number nine on Max right now, per FlixPatrol. It’s sitting just above Wes Craven’s original “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and just below 2017’s “It,” which is literally the biggest horror movie of all time. The list is currently dominated by horror or horror-adjacent fare, with Ti West’s “MaXXXine” sitting at the number one spot after its recent debut on Max. Other titles in the top ten include “Caddo Lake,” “Salem’s Lot,” and “Practical Magic.”
What’s interesting is that there are other films from both of these franchises available to stream on Max right now. One could watch the wildly underrated Wes Craven’s “New Nightmare” or any of the solo “Friday the 13th” films, should one wish to watch Jason slaughter a bunch of young people at Crystal Lake. But it’s the allure of these two icons of the genre sharing the screen that is drawing the most attention, and that makes a lot of sense.
Freddy vs. Jason is not one but two horror icons for the price of one
Directed by Ronny Yu, “Freddy vs. Jason” first hit theaters in 2003 and was the result of a years-long quest to bring these two storied slasher franchises together. Because we were dealing with various rights owners, various creative minds, and various commercial interests, it was extremely difficult to get the movie made. The resulting film was met with what could be generously described as a mixed response in its day. It was a commercial success, though not so much so that it led to any sequels. It was a relic of its time and, in some ways, the end of an era.
The film represents the final time that Robert Englund appeared as Freddy in a feature film. It was the second-to-last time we saw Jason on the big screen, with only 2009’s “Friday the 13th” remake to follow. Ever since, that franchise has been dormant. So too have these horror icons, as 2010’s “Nightmare on Elm Street” remake was met with decidedly unkind response from critics and audiences alike. So, in many ways, this film feels like the end of the line for these versions of Freddy and Jason. It’s two titans converging for one last hurrah. Even if it’s an imperfect hurrah, it feels special all these years later.
Looking ahead, Jason is set to return on the “Crystal Lake” TV show for Peacock. That show, however, has hit some setbacks along the way. Meanwhile, Freddy remains on the sidelines with no certain future. Thus, audiences must revisit the past if they wish to enjoy either of these slashers. Why not get two for the price of one? That’s what this film has to offer, and it’s clear that it still has appeal all these years later.
“Freddy vs. Jason” is streaming now on Max. Or, for those who would rather own a copy, it’s readily available on Blu-ray via Amazon.
This post was originally published on here
