God be praised - here is a film in the long-running series that is actually fun to watch. Dropping the lame, tired and incredibly clichéd slashing in the woods and summer camps which had been done repeatedly to death in earlier films, Part VIII thankfully goes in a new direction. Although the formula stays the same - it's still Jason picking off unwitting teenagers one by one - the setting is now a boat heading for New York. A slasher film on a boat is an original premise and therefore reason to watch!

Things kick off with Jason returning from his watery grave via an anchor. Not an exactly impressive way to start, but there's immediately some sex and violence to grab the attention including a shocking explicit scene involving entrails - maybe the censors were lightening up at last! Jason has changed a lot since the previous film. Here he's picked up a slimy squelch in his step - no doubt from being underwater so long - and has also amazingly regrown a lot of his flesh as he's now looking human again, unlike the skeletal zombie he was in Part VII. Kane Hodder has a ball with the role, and plays the most interesting Jason ever. Here, he's a kind of anti-hero who even murders a pair of would-be rapists at one point! The action moves to a huge liner which is inevitably inhabited by loads of annoying teenagers in dated fashions. Thankfully it's not long to wait before the murders start and here a weaponless Jason is more creative than usual; guitars, pipes, and axes all come into play at various points. This section of the film is watchable and over quite quickly, but nothing special. With only five survivors left, the action then swiftly changes to take place in the heart of the big city itself - and then the fun really begins.

It's very easy to like this film due to the silly things happening in it. There's a higher comedy value than before which makes it a lot lighter in tone, and as I mentioned previously, more fun to watch. One scene sees a gang of punks make to attack Jason only for him to lift his mask and drive them off! The climatic chase through the sewers is quite suspenseful and Jason's death - dissolved in toxic waste - has to be seen to be believed. Sadly though his makeup in this film is less than impressive, and it just looks like a deformed rubber mask he wears.

The acting is poor from most of the too-gorgeous young cast, although there is an exception: Peter Mark Richman, who plays the unlikable teacher, is actually very good in a "love to hate him" role. Richman, who looks like a cross between Charles Dance and David Warner, is the kind of sneering, know-it-all, stern and boring teacher that everybody had at school. His presence is very much appreciated as it's not often we get a real actor appear in these type of films. On top of all this, there's one defining highlight which almost makes the entire series up until now worthwhile. It's the rooftop fight sequence, which sees a young athlete going up against the hockey mask-wearing psychopath with just his bare hands. He knocks the stuffing out of our killer, over and over again until he's too tired to fight anymore. Standing back, he whispers "take your best shot" and Jason proceeds to knock his head clean off with a single blow. It's as funny as it sounds and makes the film for me!

An underwater power cable gets damaged and reanimates Jason from the bottom of the lake. He follows the waters until he hitches a ride on a cruise ship hired for a graduating high school class. There he finds a whole new set of young people to slice and dice.

The cast and characters are mostly unknowns and forgettable. Peter Mark Richman is probably the most recognizable as teacher Charles McCulloch. The good part is that the kids mostly look like kids. Killing them is slightly more fascinating than the older 'college' kids from the other movies.

Going all the way to Manhattan is a mistake. It takes a workable horror premise into silly camp territory. This gets really campy with the ruffians in the crumpling docks. That's the point where the whole endeavor completely collapses. The rest of the Manhattan stuff is just a waste of time.

Yep this movie is stupidly entertaining, with Jason on a cruise ship.

Is it good? No Is it Bad? No Is It watchable: Sorta Was It Needed? No Why did they make another one? $$$ Money, this one made 20 million, hey it's the 8th sequel, that's pretty good. Would I watch it again? Maybe Rating: 5 outta 10