Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) is the fourth installment in the Friday the 13th franchise, directed by Joseph Zito. This film is notable for its attempt to conclude Jason Voorhees' reign of terror, although it ultimately paved the way for further sequels. The movie features a young Corey Feldman as Tommy Jarvis, who becomes a key character in the series, and it also stars Kimberly Beck, Crispin Glover, and Peter Barton.
The plot picks up immediately after the events of Friday the 13th Part III, with Jason Voorhees being taken to a morgue after his apparent defeat. However, he spontaneously revives during an autopsy and escapes, resuming his killing spree. Jason first murders a coroner and a nurse before heading back to Crystal Lake, where he targets a group of teenagers who are renting a cabin nearby. This group includes characters like Paul, Samantha, Sara, Doug, Ted, and Jimmy. As they arrive at their vacation home, they are blissfully unaware of the horror that awaits them.
As the night unfolds, Jason begins to stalk and kill the teenagers one by one in brutal fashion. The film features several memorable deaths: Samantha is impaled while swimming; Paul is harpooned; and Jimmy meets a gruesome fate when Jason attacks him with a meat cleaver. Tension escalates as Trish Jarvis (Tommy's sister) becomes increasingly aware of Jason's presence and the danger he poses to her family.
The climax of the film occurs when Trish and Tommy confront Jason in their home. In a desperate attempt to stop him, Tommy disguises himself to look like a young Jason in order to distract him. This tactic allows Trish to attack Jason with a machete, but she only manages to knock off his mask. Horrified by Jason's deformed face, she drops the weapon. However, Tommy seizes the opportunity and delivers a fatal blow with the machete, seemingly ending Jason's reign of terror once and for all.
Upon its release, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter received mixed reviews but was commercially successful, grossing over $33 million against a budget of approximately $2.2 million. The film is often praised for its more developed characters and its attempts at deeper storytelling compared to its predecessors. It has since gained a cult following and is considered one of the stronger entries in the franchise.
Despite its title suggesting closure, The Final Chapter did not mark the end of Jason Voorhees' story; it led to additional sequels that continued to explore his character and legacy in horror cinema. The film remains significant for introducing Tommy Jarvis as a central character in the series and for solidifying many of the tropes that would define slasher films in the years to come.