10 Horror Movie Twists That Rewrote The Rules

The fifth entry in the beloved slasher property, 1985’s Friday the 13th: A New Beginning is easily the worst film on this list and debatably the worst film in its series.

There are many reasons why people hate it, with its polarizing ending often being the primary one. In hindsight, however, the revelation that Jason Voorhees isn’t the maniac behind the mask was a commendably bold swing that taught audiences to occasionally trust what’s promoted on the tin rather than their own fixed assumptions.

You see, immediate predecessor The Final Chapter concludes with quirky pre-teen Tommy Jarvis fatally splitting Jason’s head open with a machete. Even so, Jason had died and come back several times before, so there was little reason for franchise fans to believe that he wouldn’t be back for A New Beginning.

Yet, the titles of both films were entirely accurate, with The Final Chapter signifying the end of Jason’s saga before A New Beginning had disgruntled paramedic Roy Burns taking up the mantle – and kickstarting a fresh beginning for the series – as he got revenge on those whom he blamed for his son’s death.

Even by the mid-1980s, the burgeoning slasher subgenre had established that its iconic antagonists will really return in sequels. So, A New Beginning’s controversial bait-and-switch was a daringly resourceful and revolutionary move.