Director – Vincente DiSanti (Never Hike Alone, Last Broadcast)
Starring – Thom Mathews (The Return of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives), Vincent Guastaferro (Vampire Mob, The Beast), and Bryan Forrest (Lazarus Rising, Ultraman X: The Movie)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 3.5/5
It may be October but social media is ablaze with Friday the 13th thanks to Scream Factory. Their monumental release of all the Friday the 13th films, remake, and Freddy vs. Jason has horror fans chomping at the bit. I finally got my set in so I can share in on the excitement but this Halloween season just doesn’t feel like Halloween. Jason is running rampart and to add to it the popular fan film Never Hike Alone has released their follow up Never Hike in the Snow. I was not a fan of the first fan film but I decided to give the second one a chance.
**Spoiler Alert** The film is set during Camp Crystal Lake during the winter months. A teenager has gone missing and when the police start investigating they find Tommy Jarvis who is still warning people about Jason Voorhees. **Spoiler Alert**
I wanted to like Never Hike Alone but it was painfully dull and just did not feel like a Friday the 13th film. The last few minutes of the short was entertaining but it wasn’t enough to save the film. However, Never Hike in the Snow is way more entertaining and feels a little more like an authentic Friday the 13th film.
The acting in this one is pretty solid. The characters are pretty cliched and standard slasher stock but they move the film along nicely. Also, DiSanti was solid as well for Jason. His mannerisms were pretty in tune with that classic Jason movement. The story for this one, or lack there of, is pretty much Jason killing someone and the police scramble to find them. Pretty straight forward but solid especially for a fan film.
Finally, the film hits you with some pretty impressive practical effects. The kill at the beginning of the film is a fucking blast and the practical effects are top notch. Overall, Never Hike in the Snow had redeemed itself. I was not a fan of the first but I can see myself watching this one again if the opportunity presented itself. Great effects and solid Friday the 13th atmosphere makes this one enjoyable.
