Michael Myers vs Jason Voorhees
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VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild
WRITTEN BY: Kenneth Hedges
It's time to settle the score between these two memorable film baddies. For this video, we'll be looking at two of the most iconic slasher villains to ever grace the big screen to determine whether it's the masked machete-wielding maniac or the… masked chef's knife-wielding maniac who reigns supreme. Our video includes origins, enemies, abilities, and more!
Script Written by Kenneth Hedges
Every madman has a hook - sometimes literally. Welcome to WatchMojo and in this installment of Versus, we’re pitting Michael Myers against Jason Voorhees.
For this video, we’ll be looking at two of the most iconic slasher villains to ever grace the big screen to determine whether it’s the masked machete-wielding maniac or the… masked chef’s knife-wielding maniac who reigns supreme.
Slasher villains of the 1980s - the height of the genre, always came pre-packaged with an origin story. This would usually give them some sort of motive for hacking away at libidinous teens. And you have to give the original “Friday the 13th” some credit for its unexpected twist - that it was the drowned Jason’s loony, overprotective mother doing the slashing. By “Part 2,” however, the supposedly deceased Jason takes center stage in the franchise, avenging both his drowning and his mother’s death. Basically, he’s an overgrown man-child with mommy issues.
This is where Halloween really stands out, as even though we witness Michael’s first heinous act - through his own eyes, no less - we’re never really given a reason. His nemesis, Dr. Loomis gives several monologues about how Michael is the living embodiment of evil, but no motive is ever offered. While some of the sequels attempted and failed at some backstory, even linking Laurie Strode to the villain, the recent sequel-boot and its upcoming follow-ups are going back to those roots - the ones that can go anywhere, without logic or understanding.
While Jason has a clearer motivation, the mystery surrounding Michael is what makes him so fascinating. He grabs our attention from the film’s horrifying opening scene, securing Michael’s victory for this round.
Every Moby Dick needs their Captain Ahab, and slashers are no exception. But who could possibly stand up to such a leviathan? A walking, hulking wrecking ball seemingly undeterred by bullets, car crashes, and even explosions? For Jason, the answer is different in almost every entry — just another teen fortunate enough not to break any horror movie cliches to be the final girl or guy. Of course, Tommy Jarvis is a unique case. Played by three different actors over the course of three films, it was originally planned for Jarvis to take Jason’s mantle at the end of “A New Beginning.” But by “Part VI,” he was back to playing the hero, trying to rescue teens at Camp Crystal Lake from a re-animated Jason.
Until his death, Dr. Samuel Loomis, masterfully played by actor Donald Pleasence, served as a perfect counterpart to Michael Myers, lending a bit of English gravitas and class to a franchise often considered seedy. He was a doctor, based in reason and logic, confronted with an illogical evil. And, in Loomis’ absence, audiences slowly witnessed Jamie Lee Curtis’ transition from the final girl to the hardcore survivalist in the 2018 film. Myers’ backstory may be vague, but his antagonists are well-drawn.
Michael just had more to face, taking another round.
Winner: Michael: 2/ Jason: 0
It’s pretty much a given that a bullet or a knife isn’t going to stop either Michael or Jason in their tracks, but each has what Liam Neeson would call a certain set of skills ideally suited to their environment. Whereas Michael is subtle, quiet and downright stealthy, Jason has no problem bursting through doors with brute force.
It brings plenty of horrific tension to the “Halloween” films when Michael is stalking his victims - particularly the way director John Carpenter shot it, with Michael suddenly appearing in the background. The holiday also gives him the right cover, given that everyone is wearing a mask.
But it’s hard to beat Jason’s lack of, to put it gently, tact. He’s also much more adept at appearing out of nowhere. The Michael Bay-produced reboot tried to offer an explanation - that he moved through a series of underground tunnels - but just having him pop up where least expected is half the fun of a “Friday” movie.
Add that to an inventive use of everyday items for creative kills and super-strength, and you have Jason’s first win.
Winner: Michael Myers: 2/ Jason: 1
From Freddy’s ratty red and green sweater to “My Bloody Valentine”’s Coal Miner get-up, an iconic slasher is bound to have a trademark design. A slasher’s outfit becomes a part of their calling card, just as significant as their trademark weapon. So, in this twisted, macabre fashion show: Who wore it better?
Michael certainly wore it first, a William Shatner mask spray-painted white with the hair teased out, but the rest of his outfit could be found at the nearest gas station.
Though Jason didn’t receive his hockey mask from one of his victims until “Part III,” he was rarely seen without it. When he was, the rotting zombie underneath was just as scary. The mask even allowed a bit of levity in what would otherwise be considered a total gorefest. And then there are the upgrades that “Jason X” provided. They’re plenty silly, but more inventive than just a simple, random white mask. We’ve gotta hand this one to Mr. Voorhees.
Winner: Michael: 2/Jason:2
A solid horror franchise lives or dies by its scares. With recurring characters and decades worth of film reels, however, franchises have a tendency to lose their edge or, worse, dip into meta-territory. At that point, it’s as if they aren’t even trying - just going through the motions onto the next splatter-fest. That’s the tipping point when you know it’s jumped the shark.
While both franchises came out of the gate strong, even though “Friday” was essentially just a cash-in on “Halloween”’s success, the latter of the two are the only films that still set out to frighten audiences. Jason is just there to slice and dice.
But going back to the basic premise of the films, “Halloween” has a more frightening idea. Pure, unadulterated evil appearing in Anytown, USA was a relatively new idea in the 70s when monsters generally came from space or some kind of outer threat.
At its core, “Friday” is a simple revenge story - the sort we’ve seen a dozen times before.
Sorry, creepy woodsman, but we’re much more scared of our own neighborhoods than some remote campsite.
Winner: It was close, but the horror from Haddonfield edged it out at the end.
Michael: 3/ Jason: 2
Michael Myers against Jason Voorhees
Every madman has a hook - sometimes literally. Welcome to WatchMojo and in this installment of Versus, we’re pitting Michael Myers against Jason Voorhees.
For this video, we’ll be looking at two of the most iconic slasher villains to ever grace the big screen to determine whether it’s the masked machete-wielding maniac or the… masked chef’s knife-wielding maniac who reigns supreme.
Round 1: Origins
Slasher villains of the 1980s - the height of the genre, always came pre-packaged with an origin story. This would usually give them some sort of motive for hacking away at libidinous teens. And you have to give the original “Friday the 13th” some credit for its unexpected twist - that it was the drowned Jason’s loony, overprotective mother doing the slashing. By “Part 2,” however, the supposedly deceased Jason takes center stage in the franchise, avenging both his drowning and his mother’s death. Basically, he’s an overgrown man-child with mommy issues.
This is where Halloween really stands out, as even though we witness Michael’s first heinous act - through his own eyes, no less - we’re never really given a reason. His nemesis, Dr. Loomis gives several monologues about how Michael is the living embodiment of evil, but no motive is ever offered. While some of the sequels attempted and failed at some backstory, even linking Laurie Strode to the villain, the recent sequel-boot and its upcoming follow-ups are going back to those roots - the ones that can go anywhere, without logic or understanding.
While Jason has a clearer motivation, the mystery surrounding Michael is what makes him so fascinating. He grabs our attention from the film’s horrifying opening scene, securing Michael’s victory for this round.
Round 2: Enemies
Every Moby Dick needs their Captain Ahab, and slashers are no exception. But who could possibly stand up to such a leviathan? A walking, hulking wrecking ball seemingly undeterred by bullets, car crashes, and even explosions? For Jason, the answer is different in almost every entry — just another teen fortunate enough not to break any horror movie cliches to be the final girl or guy. Of course, Tommy Jarvis is a unique case. Played by three different actors over the course of three films, it was originally planned for Jarvis to take Jason’s mantle at the end of “A New Beginning.” But by “Part VI,” he was back to playing the hero, trying to rescue teens at Camp Crystal Lake from a re-animated Jason.
Until his death, Dr. Samuel Loomis, masterfully played by actor Donald Pleasence, served as a perfect counterpart to Michael Myers, lending a bit of English gravitas and class to a franchise often considered seedy. He was a doctor, based in reason and logic, confronted with an illogical evil. And, in Loomis’ absence, audiences slowly witnessed Jamie Lee Curtis’ transition from the final girl to the hardcore survivalist in the 2018 film. Myers’ backstory may be vague, but his antagonists are well-drawn.
Michael just had more to face, taking another round.
Winner: Michael: 2/ Jason: 0
Round 3: Abilities
It’s pretty much a given that a bullet or a knife isn’t going to stop either Michael or Jason in their tracks, but each has what Liam Neeson would call a certain set of skills ideally suited to their environment. Whereas Michael is subtle, quiet and downright stealthy, Jason has no problem bursting through doors with brute force.
It brings plenty of horrific tension to the “Halloween” films when Michael is stalking his victims - particularly the way director John Carpenter shot it, with Michael suddenly appearing in the background. The holiday also gives him the right cover, given that everyone is wearing a mask.
But it’s hard to beat Jason’s lack of, to put it gently, tact. He’s also much more adept at appearing out of nowhere. The Michael Bay-produced reboot tried to offer an explanation - that he moved through a series of underground tunnels - but just having him pop up where least expected is half the fun of a “Friday” movie.
Add that to an inventive use of everyday items for creative kills and super-strength, and you have Jason’s first win.
Winner: Michael Myers: 2/ Jason: 1
Round 4: Costume
From Freddy’s ratty red and green sweater to “My Bloody Valentine”’s Coal Miner get-up, an iconic slasher is bound to have a trademark design. A slasher’s outfit becomes a part of their calling card, just as significant as their trademark weapon. So, in this twisted, macabre fashion show: Who wore it better?
Michael certainly wore it first, a William Shatner mask spray-painted white with the hair teased out, but the rest of his outfit could be found at the nearest gas station.
Though Jason didn’t receive his hockey mask from one of his victims until “Part III,” he was rarely seen without it. When he was, the rotting zombie underneath was just as scary. The mask even allowed a bit of levity in what would otherwise be considered a total gorefest. And then there are the upgrades that “Jason X” provided. They’re plenty silly, but more inventive than just a simple, random white mask. We’ve gotta hand this one to Mr. Voorhees.
Winner: Michael: 2/Jason:2
Round 5: Scares
A solid horror franchise lives or dies by its scares. With recurring characters and decades worth of film reels, however, franchises have a tendency to lose their edge or, worse, dip into meta-territory. At that point, it’s as if they aren’t even trying - just going through the motions onto the next splatter-fest. That’s the tipping point when you know it’s jumped the shark.
While both franchises came out of the gate strong, even though “Friday” was essentially just a cash-in on “Halloween”’s success, the latter of the two are the only films that still set out to frighten audiences. Jason is just there to slice and dice.
But going back to the basic premise of the films, “Halloween” has a more frightening idea. Pure, unadulterated evil appearing in Anytown, USA was a relatively new idea in the 70s when monsters generally came from space or some kind of outer threat.
At its core, “Friday” is a simple revenge story - the sort we’ve seen a dozen times before.
Sorry, creepy woodsman, but we’re much more scared of our own neighborhoods than some remote campsite.
Winner: It was close, but the horror from Haddonfield edged it out at the end.
Michael: 3/ Jason: 2
