Jason X is the only film where critics and fans roughly agree, at 26% and 25%. Agreeing doesn't mean either side likes it.
Back to the trend of the day: The mother behind the Friday the 13th killer gets her own show
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day
Friday the 13th Movies Ranked: Critics vs Fans 2026
Fans often call The Final Chapter the best Friday the 13th, yet it won over only 20% of critics against 52% of audiences, a 32-point split no other entry matches.
- No. 1: Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
- 10 places
01Final list
The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.
Order: from most to least AI agreement.
A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.
- 1
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
The biggest split in the franchise: 20% of critics vs 52% of audiences (+32). One fan list ranks it first.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 1 · Grok: 1 · DeepSeek: 1
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 1
A 32-point audience-over-critic gap makes the film critics’ least convincing entry here but one that fans keep near the top.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 1
20% Tomatometer but 52% Popcornmeter; fans still call it the series peak for Tommy Jarvis and the kills.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 1
Critics 20%, audiences 52% — a 32-point gap, the largest in the franchise.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 2
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Jason's first outing as the killer, with a sack over his head: 27% vs 49% (+22). Older readings put critics at 29% or 36%.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 2 · Grok: 6 · DeepSeek: 3
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 2
Its audience score is 22 points above the critic score, despite the RT consensus faulting its suspense.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 6
27% critics, 49% audience; the sack-headed Jason debut still ranks high with fans.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 3
Jason's first solo outing: 27% critics, 49% audience, 22 points.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 3
Friday the 13th (2009)
The remake has 183 reviews, the most in the franchise: 27% with critics vs 47% with fans, a 20-point gap.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 4 · Grok: 7 · DeepSeek: 4
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 4
A 20-point fan-over-critic gap accompanies a remake RT calls a technically sound rehash.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 7
27% Tomatometer, 47% Popcornmeter; polished but fans split on the reboot tone.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 4
The remake has the most reviews (183) and a 20-point critic-audience split.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 4
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
A fan favorite: 39% with critics vs 54% with fans (+15), with the top Letterboxd score among the sequels, 3.2/5. Other sites list critics at 44% or 55%.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 7 · Grok: 2 · DeepSeek: 7
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 7
The fan-favorite comedy turn scores 54% with audiences against 39% with critics; a Letterboxd fan list places it third.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 2
39% critics, 54% audience; the self-aware one fans often rank first while critics stay lukewarm.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 7
Fans' favorite: 39% critics, 54% audience — 15 points; IMDb 6.0.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 5
Friday the 13th (1980)
The best-reviewed of the 12 films is still under half: 48% with critics vs 60% with fans (+12). Letterboxd gives it 3.4/5.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 8 · Grok: 3 · DeepSeek: 9
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 8
The original is the critics’ highest-ranked Friday film on RT, but its audience score is still 12 points higher.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 3
48% Tomatometer vs 60% Popcornmeter; the mother-killer original still holds the highest critic score of the films.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 9
The one that started it: 48% critics, 60% audience, 12 points.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 6
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
The lowest critic score in the franchise, 8%, yet 26% of fans liked it, an 18-point gap.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 9 · Grok: 9 · DeepSeek: 5
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 9
Critics are at 8% and audiences at 26%: even the franchise’s most panned entry has an 18-point audience lead.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 9
8% Tomatometer, 26% Popcornmeter; the biggest critic-fan split and the series low point for most.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 5
The lowest critic score (8%) but a 26% audience — 18 points apart.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 7
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
The one without the real Jason: 11% with critics vs 26% with fans, also +15, tied with Jason Lives.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta.In their lists: ChatGPT: 6 · Grok: 10 · DeepSeek: 8
What each AI noted 3
- ChatGPTplace 6
Critics and the audience both rate it low, but the audience still leads by 15 points.
Source ↗ - Grokplace 10
11% critics, 26% audience; the fake-Jason entry fans tolerate more than reviewers.
Source ↗ - DeepSeekplace 8
The one without Jason: 11% critics, 26% audience, 15 points; IMDb 4.8.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 8
Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Jason's first film in the hockey mask: 17% with critics, 42% with audiences, a 25-point gap.
Included it: ChatGPT, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta, Grok.In their lists: ChatGPT: 3 · DeepSeek: 2
2 AIs put it here - 9
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
The one where telekinetic Tina takes on Jason: 21% with critics vs 37% with fans, a 16-point gap.
Included it: ChatGPT, DeepSeek. Did not include: Meta, Grok.In their lists: ChatGPT: 5 · DeepSeek: 6
2 AIs put it here - 10
Crystal Lake (2026)
The first Fresh entry in 46 years: 74–79% with critics vs 87–90% with fans. At 11 points, critics and fans are closer here than on most of the films.
Included it: Grok, DeepSeek. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta.In their lists: Grok: 4 · DeepSeek: 10
2 AIs put it here
02Worth knowing
What the AIs noticed while building the list.
Crystal Lake ends a 46-year run of Rotten scores for the franchise.
Fan rankings flip the critics' order: one Letterboxd list puts The Final Chapter first and Jason Lives third, while Rotten Tomatoes critics put the 1980 original first.
Fans don't agree with each other either: The Final Chapter looks average on Letterboxd (3.1/5) but has one of the franchise's highest Popcornmeter scores (52%).
Critic scores on the films still move: Jason Lives is 39% in the RT guide but 44% or 55% on some other sites.
03Questions people ask
What rating is Friday the 13th?
The 1980 original is rated R. On Rotten Tomatoes, 48% of critics and 60% of audiences rate it positively, and IMDb users give it 6.4/10.
Source ↗Which Friday the 13th movies are the best?
Critics rank the 1980 original highest among the films, at 48%. Fans most often name The Final Chapter (52% audience) and Jason Lives (54%).
Source ↗What is the movie Friday the 13th rated?
The 1980 film is rated R in the US and runs 1 hour 35 minutes.
Source ↗Why do Crystal Lake's scores differ between sites?
Its Rotten Tomatoes score changed as reviews arrived: 79% of 47 reviews on Oct. 14, then 76% of 62 and 74% of 53 in later readings.
Source ↗04How we counted
In plain words, no formulas.
1The question
Top 10 Friday the 13th Stories Where Critics and Fans Disagree Most, Crystal Lake Included
2Why this topic
Every published ranking shows one side's verdict, either the critics' or the fans'. This list sets them side by side across the whole franchise and explains why they split.
3Where it applies
Global; all 12 Friday the 13th theatrical films plus Crystal Lake season 1
4What we looked at
- Gap in percentage points between the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and Popcornmeter for each title
- IMDb and Letterboxd fan ratings as a second and third audience check, with a note wherever they disagree with the Popcornmeter
- Where each title ranks on critic lists compared with fan and outlet rankings (for example The Final Chapter and Jason Lives, which fans often rank first)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and Popcornmeter — Share of positive critic reviews and share of positive audience ratings. The list is ordered by the gap between them in percentage points.
- IMDb user rating — Weighted user average on a 1–10 scale, used as a second audience check
- Letterboxd average — Average star rating (out of 5) from film fans who log what they watch, a third audience community
- Metacritic Metascore — Weighted 0–100 critic average that separates 'liked a bit' from 'loved'
5Who ranked
The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, DeepSeek.
6How the places were set
The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.
05Each AI's own list
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
A 32-point audience-over-critic gap makes the film critics’ least convincing entry here but one that fans keep near the top.
Source ↗ - 2Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Its audience score is 22 points above the critic score, despite the RT consensus faulting its suspense.
Source ↗ - 3Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
The 3-D installment’s audience score is 25 points higher than its critic score—a substantial nostalgia and novelty divide.
Source ↗ - 4Friday the 13th (2009)
A 20-point fan-over-critic gap accompanies a remake RT calls a technically sound rehash.
Source ↗ - 5Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Its 37% audience score is 16 points above critics, even as the consensus says its new direction does not work.
Source ↗ - 6Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
Critics and the audience both rate it low, but the audience still leads by 15 points.
Source ↗ - 7Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
The fan-favorite comedy turn scores 54% with audiences against 39% with critics; a Letterboxd fan list places it third.
Source ↗ - 8Friday the 13th (1980)
The original is the critics’ highest-ranked Friday film on RT, but its audience score is still 12 points higher.
Source ↗ - 9Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Critics are at 8% and audiences at 26%: even the franchise’s most panned entry has an 18-point audience lead.
Source ↗ - 10Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)
The 32-point gap is a reminder that ‘best’ can mean a memorable cast and slasher-era affection more than critic approval.
Source ↗
What ChatGPT noticed
The Final Chapter is a clean example of fan canon diverging from critic consensus: Rotten Tomatoes lists 20% critics and 52% audience, while one Letterboxd fan ranking puts it first.
Jason Lives is only 39% with critics on the RT franchise guide but 54% with audiences, and it appears third in the cited fan ranking.
The original film is the RT Tomatometer leader in the franchise guide at 48%, yet its Popcornmeter is higher at 60%; this is not a high critic score in absolute terms.
Rotten Tomatoes’ published ranking foregrounds critic approval, while fan lists may elevate installments like The Final Chapter and Jason Lives for their characters, tone, or franchise memories.
🇺🇸 Grok10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Grok alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
20% Tomatometer but 52% Popcornmeter; fans still call it the series peak for Tommy Jarvis and the kills.
Source ↗ - 2Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
39% critics, 54% audience; the self-aware one fans often rank first while critics stay lukewarm.
Source ↗ - 3Friday the 13th (1980)
48% Tomatometer vs 60% Popcornmeter; the mother-killer original still holds the highest critic score of the films.
Source ↗ - 4Crystal Lake (2026)
76% critics and 87% audience; the smallest gap and the franchise's first Certified Fresh entry.
Source ↗ - 5Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
41% Tomatometer, 50% Popcornmeter; the crossover fans wanted more than critics did.
Source ↗ - 6Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
27% critics, 49% audience; the sack-headed Jason debut still ranks high with fans.
Source ↗ - 7Friday the 13th (2009 remake)
27% Tomatometer, 47% Popcornmeter; polished but fans split on the reboot tone.
Source ↗ - 8Jason X (2002)
26% critics, 25% audience; rare case where both sides agreed it was weak.
Source ↗ - 9Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
8% Tomatometer, 26% Popcornmeter; the biggest critic-fan split and the series low point for most.
Source ↗ - 10Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
11% critics, 26% audience; the fake-Jason entry fans tolerate more than reviewers.
Source ↗
What Grok noticed
Crystal Lake is the first Friday the 13th property to clear 70% on the Tomatometer, ending a 46-year streak of Rotten scores.
Fans consistently rank Jason Lives and The Final Chapter higher than critics do, valuing kills and Tommy Jarvis over polish.
Early Crystal Lake reviews sat at 83-87% before settling near 76% once more critics weighed in after the October 15 premiere.
Most Friday the 13th films show audiences 10-30 points higher than critics, reflecting loyalty to the lore over craft.
🇨🇳 DeepSeek10 places · 2 notes
The same question, answered by DeepSeek alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Critics 20%, audiences 52% — a 32-point gap, the largest in the franchise.
Source ↗ - 2Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
The hockey-mask debut: 17% critics, 42% audience, a 25-point gap.
Source ↗ - 3Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Jason's first solo outing: 27% critics, 49% audience, 22 points.
Source ↗ - 4Friday the 13th (2009)
The remake has the most reviews (183) and a 20-point critic-audience split.
Source ↗ - 5Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
The lowest critic score (8%) but a 26% audience — 18 points apart.
Source ↗ - 6Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Telekinetic Tina vs Jason: 21% critics, 37% audience, 16 points.
Source ↗ - 7Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Fans' favorite: 39% critics, 54% audience — 15 points; IMDb 6.0.
Source ↗ - 8Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
The one without Jason: 11% critics, 26% audience, 15 points; IMDb 4.8.
Source ↗ - 9Friday the 13th (1980)
The one that started it: 48% critics, 60% audience, 12 points.
Source ↗ - 10Crystal Lake (2026)
First Fresh entry: 79% critics, 90% audience, 11 points; IMDb 7.6.
Source ↗
What DeepSeek noticed
The Final Chapter has the biggest gap (+32) yet is also the title fans most often call the franchise's best — a useful reminder that 'critics vs fans' is not the same as 'bad vs good'.
Letterboxd and RT audiences partly disagree: The Final Chapter sits at 3.1/5 on Letterboxd but 52% on Popcornmeter, while Jason Lives is the fan-favourite outlier with 3.2/5 and 54%.