For decades, slasher fans have known her well. She’s the one who makes it out alive. Think Laurie Strode in Halloween. Think Sidney Prescott in Scream. She’s smart, she’s stubborn, and she’s the last one standing when the monster takes his final bow.
Sweet Revenge leans into that tradition, but also tries to twist it just enough to feel fresh.
Why the Final Girl Matters
Slasher films without a Final Girl are like pizzas without cheese. Sure, you can do it, but why would you?
She’s the audience’s anchor in a storm of gore and chaos. We see the world through her eyes. We cheer for her. We scream for her. We know Jason will get his licks in, but she’s the one who gives us hope.
Laurie Strode (Halloween) didn’t just survive Michael Myers. She turned survival into a lifetime sport. Sidney Prescott (Scream) outsmarted every version of Ghostface that showed up at her door. These characters lasted because they weren’t just victims. They were fighters.
Sweet Revenge’s Take
Now, Sweet Revenge doesn’t have 90 minutes to build a character arc - it’s over almost as quickly as your cider runs out. But even in that short span, you can see what they’re aiming for.
Instead of a passive girl who just runs until everyone else is dead, we get a lead who actually makes choices. She notices. She reacts. She pushes back. In 13 minutes, that’s ambitious.
Does it land perfectly? Not really. The Angry Orchard branding almost steals more screen time than the heroine herself. But the attempt is there, and in horror, attempts at refreshing the Final Girl are worth paying attention to.
The Good, The Bad, The Bloody
What works:
Jason looks brutal again (and that’s half the fun).
The gore has bite, even if some kills are off-screen.
You can sense the franchise testing new waters.
What doesn’t:
13 minutes isn’t enough to make us care deeply about anyone.
The cider sponsorship is distracting (Jason doesn’t need product placement; he is the product).
The Final Girl spark is there, but not fully lit.
Final Thoughts
Sweet Revenge isn’t a revolution - it’s a shot of nostalgia with a twist of branding. But the fact that they’re playing with the Final Girl trope at all is a good sign.
Because here’s the truth: Jason is immortal, sure, but the Final Girl is what keeps horror fans coming back. We don’t just want blood. We want someone to root for. We want survival with teeth.
And if Sweet Revenge is any indication, the next phase of the Jason Universe might give her more space to fight back, without cider stealing the spotlight.
