History Film / FreddyVsJason

Long considered a dream film that would remain that way -- until its release in 2003 -- ''Freddy vs. Jason'' is the {{Crossover}} pretty much every horror/slasher fan longed to see.

The film takes place after the end of both ''Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare'' and ''Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday''[[hottip:*:which hinted at the crossover for the first time with its final shot -- Freddy's claw dragging Jason's mask down to Hell]]. Freddy Krueger has been searching "the bowels of Hell" for someone who can help him regain his powers; since Freddy can only kill people in their dreams if people are sufficiently afraid of him, and the town of Springwood as a whole found a way to forget about him, he has been rendered powerless. Freddy eventually settles on reviving Jason Voorhees, then sends the Crystal Lake Killer to Springwood with the intent of frightening the town so much that they'll blame the killings on Freddy and give him back his power.

For a brief period, this works: an accidental name slip from a police officer is overheard by teenagers connected to Jason's first few victims, and their fear of being killed -- combined with their spreading of Freddy's name around town -- returns the Springwood Slasher's power. Freddy's good fortune doesn't last, however; Jason's bloodlust ends up getting in Freddy's way when one of Krueger's intended victims gets killed by Jason instead. Furious at having been robbed of an opportunity to kill after having finally regained his power, Freddy tries to take Jason out for good while a group of teens look for a way to stop both of the supernatural serial killers.

This film marks the end of both the original ''ANightmareOnElmStreet'' and ''Film/{{Friday the 13th}}'' franchises, since the next films in both franchises would be {{remake}}s/{{continuity reboot}}s. A sequel to ''Freddy vs. Jason'' was originally planned as a film, but a {{comic book}} sequel -- ''FreddyVsJasonVsAsh'' and its subsequent sequel series - was created instead. ''Freddy vs. Jason'' is notable within both of its parent franchises for being the highest-grossing film of '''either''' franchise.

!!This film provides examples of the following tropes:

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: On both combatants.
* AttemptedRape: First time occurs at the rave as a knocked out Gibb is being molested by a raver who no doubt has other plans. This is ruined when [[spoiler:Jason guts them both with a pipe.]]
** [[spoiler:Then again during Lori's nightmare. Had she not woke up in time, Freddy's attempt to rape her would have been a success.]]
* BallsOfSteel: During the final fight, Freddy kicks Jason square in the gonads. Being pretty much imperfious to pain, Jason doesn't even flinch, and Freddy nearly breaks his foot.
* BattleAmongstTheFlames: The first couple of minutes of Freddy's fight with Jason at the end of the film are spent in a cabin that's been set on fire. It's awesome.
* BerserkButton: Freddy uses Jason's mother to awaken him at the beginning of the film and to throw him off his game during their battle in the dreamworld.

* BreakingTheFourthWall - [[spoiler:Freddy's wink to the audience as his decapitated head is carried by Jason at the end of the film]].
* BroughtDownToBadass: Dragging him out into the real world has made him killable sure, but Freddy doesn't take this lying down. He still inflicts significant damage to Jason with improvised weaponry and his own machete.

* CanonDisContinuity: Despite being made after both films, ''Freddy vs. Jason'' ignored both ''Jason X'' (obviously) and ''Wes Craven's New Nightmare''.
** Freddy bringing Jason back from Hell could be what set up the events of ''Jason X'', the events of which began in the then-future of 2010, making this a sort of {{interquel}} between parts 9 and 10 of the ''Friday'' franchise.

* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve - Freddy's powers are diminished thanks to Springwood's adults keeping the kids not locked up at Westin Hills from learning about Freddy (and by keeping those locked up at Westin Hills on anti-dream drug Hypnocil). [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly Freddy Needs Fear Badly]].

* CliffHanger: [[spoiler:The final shot of the film is of Jason emerging from Crystal Lake with the decapitated head of Freddy, which is apparently alive and even winks at the audience; considering the nature of the shot and the characters, there's no way to know for sure who "won" the battle or if either character actually lived through it]].
** This would be resolved in ''Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash'', but before then, this resulted in a WordOfGod conflict: director Ronny Yu said that [[spoiler:Freddy won]], while writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift said that [[spoiler:Jason won]].
* CorpseLand: Jason's [[MentalWorld dreamscape]].

* ContinuityNod: Given the nature of the film and the characters, there's quite a few, but one of the best is the Hypnocil drug -- Nancy took the drug in ''A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors'' and was the one who recommended the doctors at Westin Hills give the drug to their patients.
** The {{Novelization}} features one to ''every prior film in both franchises'', with the exceptions of ''Jason X'' and ''New Nightmare'', for reasons given below.
* DeathBySex: Surprised?
** Averted in Lori's nightmare. In the alternate ending that takes place two months afterwards, [[spoiler:Lori and Will finally have sex, but after it gets rough, she realizes it isn't Will she's making love to...]]
* EvasiveFightThreadEpisode: Pretty much the whole movie. [[spoiler:While Freddy is the mastermind behind the events of the film, Jason ends up getting the most kills of the two; the final fight between the two ends with both of them sinking to the bottom of Crystal Lake, Freddy having been decapitated and Jason having suffered a multitude of injuries at the hands of Krueger]].
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Jason only came back to life and went to Elm Street because he thought it was his mother who told him to do it. When Jason found out that it was in fact Freddy who brought him back, he was not the least bit happy.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: When Lori saves Jason from drowning in the dreamworld, he seems to appreciate that later; [[spoiler:after Freddy tries to rape her]], Jason immediately attacks Freddy in the real world. This saves Lori from Freddy - and Jason ends up doing it again later. Of course he's still a raging killing machine, killing other teens who get in the crossfire.
* EvilIsNotAToy: Freddy provokes Jason into attacking Springwood, assuming he can send Jason away once he's stirred up enough fear to bring his powers back. The big dog won't quit eating, though, so....
* EvilVersusEvil: [[CompleteMonster Freddy]] vs Jason.
* {{Expy}}: Freeburg is an expy for Kevin Smith character Jay.
** Hilariously referenced in the Never Sleep Again documentary:
--> '''Jason Mewes''': I mean it was amazing when they offered this, and I went and I played Freeburg, and it was like, a lifelong dream come- [[RecordNeedleScratch *needle scratch*]] Wait... I didn't play Freeburg! I wasn't in that movie! *walks off set*

** Don't forget the little girl in Lori's nightmare with bleeding vertical slashes and gaping holes where her eyes should be.
* ForcefulKiss: During Lori's nightmare where her friends plan to sacrifice her to Freddy (because she's a virgin) Freddy -- disguised as her father -- forcefully kisses her and sticks his tongue in her mouth. After she pushes him off, he returns to his original form and tries it again before she wakes up.

** Mind you, Freddy's version of "fragile" is still ''much'' tougher than the human norm, even in the real world.
* FreudWasRight: In-universe. Kia decides to invoke this on Freddy, comparing his tiny knives to Jason's great big machete. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she wasn't paying attention, and she promptly meets said machete]].

* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Freddy's primary attitude with Lori during her dreams, from kissing her, to putting her in a nightgown, pet names like "Princess" and ultimately [[spoiler:a desire and attempt to rape her.]]

* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: It wouldn't be a slasher movie without a few of these; most notably, [[spoiler:Jason chops off Freddy's arm, and then shoves it through his chest!]]

* IntercontinuityCrossover: The comic series ''FreddyVsJasonVsAsh'', which brings Ashley J. Williams into the mix as he fights both Freddy and Jason for control of the Necronomicon following the events of ''Freddy vs. Jason''. (''Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors'' also sees the return of ''Film/{{Friday the 13th}}'s'' Tommy Jarvis.)
** Kyle Labine, who played Freedburg in the film, appeared as a teenage partygoer in ''Halloween: Resurrection''; this makes him the only person to appear in films involving Jason, Freddy, and Michael Myers.
* InternalRetcon: A lot of Springwood's local history from 1984 onwards is redacted or missing -- for good reason.

* JiggleShow: Lori when she's running from the explosion.

* KillSteal: This is what sparks the actual fight between the two slashers. Freddy's plan is working perfectly, and both monsters are on their own private killing spree...until Jason stabs one of Freddy's sleeping victims.

* KryptoniteFactor: Both Freddy and Jason show fear when it comes to the elements which originally helped to kill them (fire and water, respectively).
* LargeHam: Freddy, perhaps even more than usual.

* LittleMissBadass: Lori.
* LosingYourHead / OffWithHisHead: [[spoiler:Freddy, who is decapitated at the end of the film; his head winks at the audience during the final shot of the film]].
* ManOnFire: When Jason attacks a rave, one of the teens throws grain alcohol on him and then lights it with a torch. Unfortunately, this just results in a ''flaming'' unstoppable killing machine.
* ManipulativeBastard: Freddy takes the form of Jason's mother when he enters his dreams in order to awaken him and send him to Springwood, all so Jason will kill teens and make Springwood afraid that Kruger's returned, which would give Freddy his power back.
* MirroredConfrontationShot: As seen above.
* MirrorScare: Used by Freddy Krueger in Mark's nightmare.

* NighInvulnerable: Both killers - Jason is Made Of Diamond, while Freddy is FightingAShadow. When dragged into the real world Freddy is significantly weaker, although [[BroughtDownToBadass he's still pretty good competition]] to Jason.
* NoSell: Ultimately, until Freddy gets a hold of Jason's machete, his attacks do nothing to him.
* NonchalantDodge: Jason dodges several propane tanks sent his way by Freddy during their final fight. Then he gets hit by a couple.
** He doesn't so much dodge them as they fail to hit him as he plods along.
* OhCrap: Freddy has this reaction when he realizes that he has been pulled into reality -- and ''Jason is waiting for him.''
** This happens again when [[spoiler:he sees Lori about to cut his head off]]. It seems that [[spoiler:killing her mother, causing her boyfriend to get committed, killing her friends, molesting her and nearly raping her]] wasn't a good idea after all.
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Freddy wanted Jason to kill a couple Springwood teens to reintroduce fear to the town, but when Jason wouldn't stop, Freddy demonstrated this attitude.
* OpeningMonologue: Freddy gets one to recap his origin and purpose. Clips from the first six ''Nightmare'' movies are re-used in a montage to accompany part of it.
* SerialKiller: The eponymous characters.
* SpeakOfTheDevil: It allows Freddy to come back.
* ThisIsForEmphasisBitch: "Welcome to my world, bitch!"; said by both Freddy and Lori at different points near the end of the film.
* TitleDrop: The page quote, but only in the [[TrailersAlwaysLie trailers]].
** It's actually from a deleted scene, which is included on the DVD -- it was removed from the final cut due to its potential Narm factor.

* TownWithADarkSecret: Springwood's children and teenagers are unaware of Freddy and his past deeds until Jason starts killing, thanks to the adults refusing to speak his name and all records relating to Freddy having been deleted; those who do know about him, even vaguely, are locked up in a psychiatric facility and drugged nightly to prevent them from dreaming.
* TwentyMinutesIntoThePresent: To an impossible degree, even without counting time skips in Jason's franchise. According to Sideshow Toy's action figure line, this film takes place "4 years after Freddy was killed by his daughter" -- this happened in an event that, as of 1990, was "Ten Years From Now".
* UnflinchingWalk: This, plus ImplacableMan and MegatonPunch, sum up Jason's fighting style.
* UnstoppableRage: Jason is made of it, but the last battle takes the cake.
* UnwittingPawn: Jason, the poor undead bastard.

* VillainousValor: Even if Freddy is the CompleteMonster of the century within the scary movie community, you do have to admit that it takes ''balls'' to fight [[ImplacableMan something like Jason]]. Even after Freddy gets pulled into the real world, where he is mortal and seriously outclassed, he still doesn't run away.
** The teens are hoping Jason will be this if they can get Freddy to Camp Crystal Lake for the fight. They hope that if Jason wins, he'll stay at the camp and not bother anyone outside it. This has justification in that Jason is known to ''never'' leave Camp Crystal Lake if he can help it.
* VirginSacrifice: During one of Lori's dreams, Freddy makes her believe her friends wish to do this to her to lure Freddy, right before he plants a kiss on her. [[spoiler:Possible hint at trying to take her virginity later.]]
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Jason, of all people, comes off like this in the film, especially during his dream battle with Freddy. Most people root for him over Freddy, because at least he isn't a child molester.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Freddy discovers that Jason has hydrophobia due to the way he died as a child. This leads to a ContinuitySnarl when you remember Jason was completely fine around water in his series, though there is an out: Jason's fear of water comes into play only after Freddy brings up his past trauma in the dream world.
* WhyWontYouDie: Said the ghost to the zombie.

----

* AwesomeVsCool

** [[spoiler:The again during Lori's nightmare. Had she not woke up in time, Freddy's attempt to rape her would have been a success.]]

* ManOnFire: When Jason attacks a rave, one of the teens throws beer on him and then lights it with a torch. Unfortunately, this just results in a ''flaming'' unstoppable killing machine.

* MirrorScare: Used by Freddy Krueger in [[spoiler:Mark]]'s nightmare.

* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve - Freddy's powers are diminished thanks to Springwood's adults keeping the kids not locked up at Westin Hills from learning about Freddy (and by keeping those locked up at Westin Hills on anti-dream drug Hypnocil).

* EvilSoundsDeep: Well, their sound effects do, anyway. Jason's effects sound ludicrously deep, especially when compared to Freddy's in their final fight.

* EpilepticTrees: The film's ending generated a lot of WildMassGuessing; Ken Kirzinger(Jason's actor) mentioned in the commentary that a fan had asked him if the ending represented [[AscendedDemon Jason going to Heaven]].

* FreudWasRight: Kia decides to invoke this on Freddy, comparing his tiny knives to Jason's great big machete. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she wasn't paying attention, and she promptly meets said machete]].

* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Like most films where he's got a young lady to contend with. Not only does he kiss her, Freddy really, [[VillainousCrush REALLY enjoys]] when he tries to [[spoiler: rape]] Lori.
* IncrediblyLamePun: "Freddy's Back". Written on someone's back.

* EpilepticTrees: The film's ending generated a lot of WildMassGuessing; Ken Kirzinger(Jason's actor) mentioned in the commentary that a fan had asked him if the ending represented [[AscendedDemon Jason going to Heaven]].

* AttemptedRape: Thankfully, Lori woke up in time.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/FreddyVsJason.jpg
[[caption-width:295:[[MortalKombat Round one. FIGHT!]]]]

* AntiHero: Looking at the overall movie, both are clearly villains, but they both have moments during which they interfere in each others' killings (Freddy to save the kids for himself, Jason because Lori saved him from drowning). By default, this kind of moves them each into type 5 territory, if only for a few minutes at a time.

* WhyWontYouDie: This is actually said by Freddy during the dreamworld fight against Jason.

* [[{{ptitlel9hiod7i}} This Is For Emphasis, Bitch!]]: "Welcome to my world, bitch!"; said by both Freddy and Lori at different points near the end of the film.

* NighInvulnerable: Both killers - Jason is Made Of Diamond, while Freddy is Regeneration. When dragged into the real world Freddy is significantly weaker, although [[BroughtDownToBadass he's still pretty good competition]] to Jason.

[[caption-width:295:Round one. FIGHT!]]

* BroughtDownToBadass: Dragging him into the real world has made him killable sure, but Freddy doesn't take this lying down. He still inflicts significant damage to Jason with improvised weaponry and his own machete.

* NighInvulnerable: Both killers - Jason is Made Of Diamond, while Freddy is Regeneration.

* EvilVersusEvil: [[CompleteMonster Freddy]] vs [[ChaoticEvil Jason]].