Great Film overall

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

I saw one bad review and figured that being an indie film maybe this was an honest review and all the other reviews were possibly friends of the filmmakers or cast mates trying to get some positive ratings on IMDB. I'm glad that I decided to take a chance and give this nice little gem a look for myself. I have no idea what that reviewer's problem was, but this was actually a very entertaining fan film. The build up to the confrontation between the main character and Jason was well done. And the fight scenes were actually quite entertaining. I would really like to see what these people are able to accomplish in the future if someone will give them a decent budget and a good script. Well done and keep up the good work.

Not that you'd know by the cover but Never Hike Alone is a Friday 13th fan film, in fact it's hard to believe since the whole thing looks so darn professional.It tells the story of a guy making a video for his social media site, he's travelling through the forest and comes across the remnants of an all too familiar camp. Before he knows it he's being pursued by everyones favorite hockey mask wearing psychopath.Now again let's be clear this doesn't look like a fan film and if you didn't know better could almost be confused with being an actual entry into the franchise. Standing at around the 50 minute mark with fantastic production quality and including the return of Tommy Jarvis (Played by franchise alumni Thom Mathews) this is very impressive.As much as I like Jason I've tended to find the Friday 13th series quite underwhelming. For the most part I've never thought they were bad, just not as monumental as most believe themselves. This however is very respectable and I'd love to see the creators get their hands on funds to make a feature movie (Even if it is about Jason).The cast do a solid job, it's well scored and I'd consider it essential viewing for fans of the franchise.The Good:Looks and sounds considerably too good to be a "Fan film"The Bad:Jason was far too smallWeak endingThings I Learnt From This Movie:Recording yourself breaking the law and then uploading it onto your social media page for the world to see makes perfect senseWe need more chokeslams through tables in the movies

I'm a fan of the "Friday the 13th" franchise, this film just like Jason I honestly didn't see coming but once it came it was one of the best surprises. Fan films have always been hit or miss with me, but this film is thankfully one of those hits.The way the film is handled and directed feels like it could be a lost sequel to the franchise. The production value is on par, I really love the use of the wooded location. Music is also great, they use some of the old tracks we're familiar with in the movies, and there are a few new tracks to keep things fresh. The blood effects are really solid, the scene where the protagonist is closing a wound hurt me watching almost similar to the scene in "First Blood".Cinemagography is great I really like how the film mixes both the P.O.V. and regular cinematography making it seem not too much like one kinda film. The use of the P.O.V. is excellent not just it making the film have a bit of a documentary sense, giving the film a slight realism as if Camp Crystal Lake and Jason could exist but also a participatory factor because in a way the P.O.V. makes us hiker no. 2 as we are with the protagonist the entire way.However what really powers this film is in it's suspense and this film is just great in it, it's the simple cat and mouse premise and that was the right way to go because that's part of what the franchise and slasher films are by their nature. I really like how throughout the film you are just in constant suspense and extremely tense from beginning to end.I really like the fact that Jason throughout the film from the first to a bit of the second half we see flashes and glimpses, letting us know he's around and watching. Despite the fact that we don't see Jason in most scenes were are on constant red alert knowing and thinking he just might pop up again any time any where. Like in one scene where the protagonist is in a room of Crystal Lake there are two windows behind him, I couldn't help but think, ah oh Jason is going to show up on one of them.Once we see Jason himself it doesn't disappoint. The person playing Jason is the director himself and he is just excellent, if they ever think of making a new sequel or a better revival film to "Friday the 13th" I wouldn't mind him playing the role. It's pretty much a physical performance but he really gets it down to a tee, just the walk, movement of his head, behavior it's all there. Though what really gets me is sound of his footsteps which are a loud stomping, it just gave me a chill because it just conveys menace and just the sound of a monster closing in for the kill.However the other villain of the film is "Camp Crystal Lake" itself, there is just a disturbing and oppressive atmosphere thought-out the abandoned camp, you already know the protagonist unknowingly has walked right into Jason's den. Really like some of the shots of the place, from the grit, old wood, rust and dirt, down to even some dried up blood in a place or two you know this place has death written all over it. There are even some ribbons you see hung up with numbers and you already know those are markers of death and the next one has his number on it.But also what makes it good is protagonist himself Kyle he's likable he's sort of one of those extreme hikers/outdoors men whom is just doing one of the things he loves and does best for fun. From his persona it just all the more hope he somehow gets out alive, but of course when it comes to dealing with Jason there are no guarantees. Let alone I love the fact that once again a guy takes the lead which needs to happen more often in horror. Kyle is kinda the third male protagonist to go toe to toe against Jason and the physical confrontations between both of them are solid, their not fancifully choreographed but that's because it's realistic, as if this is what a fight against Jason would be in the real world. But the protagonist holds his own well against danger and we see he doesn't just use just physical force to defend himself but also his wits, which are really the best weapon against Jason.Overall, if your a fan of the "Friday the 13th" franchise then hike to this film, it makes the cut.Rating: 4 stars

While the official Friday the 13th movie set for release today was cancelled this is a worthy replacement.This is the best looking Friday the 13th fan film I've ever seen with some simply stunning outdoor cinematography and extremely well- made sets for a tiny budget fan film.Having the movie be about one person trying to survive against Jason gives the movie a different feel to the original movies. The one on one survival aspect is what makes the movie worth watching as it isn't just a cheaply made Friday the 13th rip-off like most other Friday fan films it's something entirely different; there's more suspense and a focus on survival instead of sex and partying, a welcome change.The special effects are great; there's a scene where Jason bleeds through the holes in his mask that made me jump forward in my seat, I can't believe they never did that in any of the 11 Friday movies with the mask.The few kills were fairly lacklustre, save for one kill that takes place in a dream, but this isn't a body count film and I didn't expect there to be any kills at all. The action is really focused on the fight scenes with Jason which were done better than most of the official movies.A few things that irked me: Jason's mask was totally white, no red triangles, but I assume this was done for legal reasons as I've seen the mask look different elsewhere before (eg. GTA 5 White hockey mask was updated to no longer look like Jason's mask). Jason's footsteps are very loud to the point where it gets annoying, plus a few other sound effects were pretty annoying; why would an axe make a *shiiinnng* sound when being pulled out of dirt?Overall a fantastic movie that I would rank higher than some of the official Friday the 13th movies, plus it has a wonderful surprise for Friday fans at the end of the movie that leaves the story open for a potential sequel. This film is a must-see for any Friday the 13th fan.