Never Hike Alone 2: A bloody good time for horror fans

In 1980, a film designed to cash in on the surprise success of John Carpenter’s Halloween was released. Though it kept the same masked killer framework as its predecessor, there were some marked changes. For one, the killer no longer kept his deeds to the dark shadows of the off-screen realm. Graphic mutilation was presented to the audience without cutaway, soaked proudly in brilliant red blood. Sex was dangled like a dirty carrot in front of the viewer’s nose, and nudity throughout was all but assured. This film, in all of its trashy, cheap, exciting glory, was Friday the 13th. This little independent movie would spark an entire subset of films within the horror genre. Now, 43 years later, a great many of those films have been forgotten. Yet, the Vorhees legend of Crystal Lake has continued to live on into a new century, with legions of fiercely loyal fans keeping the franchise relevant.

Chief among these fans is writer and director Vincent DiSanti. His studio, Womp Stomp Films, just released their FT13th fan film Never Hike Alone 2 earlier this week. The third in a trilogy of short films that continue the story of the infamous Crystal Lake, the movie picks up directly after the ending of Never Hike Alone (2017) while simultaneously picking up the story of Tommy Jarvis, the hero of the fourth, fifth, and sixth entries of the original series. Now an ambulance driver for the local hospital, Tommy is still haunted by the tragedies of his past, and he’s not convinced that Jason is dead (spoiler, he is not.) Thom Mathews, the most significant actor  to play Jarvis, reprises his role, lending a degree of canon to this well-made short film.

Filled with easter eggs for the fans, and of course tons of blood and gore, Never Hike Alone 2 is a romp through familiar grounds. Jason is terrifyingly imposing, towering over his victims in silent fury. It does feel as though we see him too much at times, however. Though never a stealthy killer, prior films gave him a stalker element that feels as if it is missing here. Still, he is brutal as ever, delivering creative death to all who get in his way. While bloody, the kills never devolve into torture porn, instead remaing campy and cartoonish in the spirit of the original films. In lieu of the usual CGI utilized by a large swath of cheap-o gorefests, the blood and guts here seem to be nearly all practical, achieved with makeup, fake offal, and camera tricks. The result is excellently horrific, giving the film a chunkiness that computer programs cannot imitate.

The script is direct, strictly A to B, and relentlessly hokey at times. This is not a complaint however, as the Friday the 13th franchise has never been about particularly sharp writing. It feels on par with its roots. There are a few chuckle-worthy moments of dialogue however that surprised me. The camera work is also excellent, with a clear upgrade of equipment and technique when compared to the prior movies of the Never Hike Alone series. Several sequences, such as Tommy diving into the lake only to wake up in his bed, are impressive and refreshing. In a film landscape dominated by largely cookie-cutter formulas, any break from the filmmaking norm is welcome.

Though on the shorter side at just over an hour, Never Hike Alone 2 successfully delivers a genuine Friday the 13th experience worthy of being canon. It feels like one of the classic entries while modernizing itself for current audiences. Given that the last mainstream entry to the series was way back in 2009, Never Hike Alone does a fantastic job of keeping the Vorhees legend alive. Check it out.

Full warning: viewers should really watch the prior films, Never Hike Alone and Never Hike in the Snow (2020) first. Never Hike Alone 2 picks up directly after the events of the first film. Snow functions as a prequel to both, and contains vital character information. Both are short, and can be viewed together in the Never Hike Alone: Ghost Cut. This, as well as Never Hike Alone 2, are available on YouTube for free.

Links:

Never Hike Alone: The Ghost Cut: https://youtu.be/cbl0DmPR9fo?si=LNH2GTbE3WIT6_fk

Never Hike Alone 2: https://youtu.be/ck8YlthYIzI?si=4NTe2VJQ81NTtHPJ