Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Movie, 1989, Undead Jason, Set in Manhattan
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is #8 of 12 in release order and #8 of 12 in chronological order in the Friday the 13th.
The story
Jason ships out aboard a teen-filled "love boat" bound for New York, which he soon transforms into the ultimate voyage of the damned.
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan recap
A boat's anchor cuts an underwater power cable and the electric shock revives Jason. He boards the SS Lazarus, a ship taking a graduating class from Lakeview High to New York City, with the strict teacher Charles McCulloch and the kind teacher Colleen. Charles's niece Rennie is afraid of water and has visions of a drowning boy. Jason kills students and crew across the ship, and the survivors, Rennie, her boyfriend Sean, Charles and Colleen, escape on a lifeboat as it sinks. They reach Manhattan, but Jason follows them through the city streets, alleys and subway, where gang members kidnap Rennie. Colleen is killed in a police car explosion, and Rennie learns Charles pushed her into Crystal Lake as a child. Jason drowns Charles in a barrel of toxic waste.
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan ending explained
Jason chases Rennie and Sean into the sewers, where the tunnels flood with toxic waste every night. Rennie throws a vat of it into his face, and the flood washes him away, turning him into a child as he melts. Rennie's fear is gone, and she and Sean walk out into Times Square.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is streaming on Paramount+, Philo, AMC+, AMC, and YouTube (free) in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 4.5/10, Rotten Tomatoes 8%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, before Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.
- Chronological order: after Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, before Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.
What to watch before Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
In release order, 7 Friday the 13th essentials come before Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989), from Friday the 13th (1980) to Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988).
Cast
- Jensen Daggett as Rennie Wickham
- Sharlene Martin as Tamara Mason
- Scott Reeves as Sean Robertson
- Tiffany Paulsen as Suzi Donaldson
- Alex Diakun as Deck Hand
- Amber Pawlick as Rennie Wickham (young)
- Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees
- Kelly Hu as Eva Watanabe
- Todd Caldecott as Jim Miller
- Peter Mark Richman as Charles McCulloch
- Barbara Bingham as Colleen Van Deusen
- Warren Munson as Admiral Robertson
Directed by Rob Hedden.