Never Hike Alone 2 review

Over the past 5 or 6 years, independent filmmakers Womp Stomp Films have made quite the splash with their Friday the 13th fan films.

With production value and what felt like an original story to tell, they have evolved through now 3 films with all storylines converging in Never Hike Alone 2.

The mythology it borrows from is the Tommy Jarvis trilogy (4-6), with Thom Matthews returning in his role from Jason Lives.

What Never Hike…2 does is weave in between the previous films, and fleshes out some of the raggier edges of the previous entries. Writer/Director Vincente Di Santi also tries to offer some clarity around Voorhees’ origins and perhaps a route to stopping him once and for all.

Matthews helps to bridge the gap between the canon Friday mythology and this new fan film lore, becoming a grizzled, Laurie Strode 2018-esque man, haunted by his past and constantly looking out for Jason’s return. We find out he has been bothering the campsite for the past 20 years trying to trick Jason out of hiding to end this battle.

The action scenes are extremely slick and don’t hold back on the gore front. Interestingly, with Tommy you feel like he has plot armour but without giving anything away, he is certainly put in serious danger on multiple occasions.

What was also refreshing about Never Hike…2, is that while it does lean into nostalgia in parts, it never feels forced and if anything tries to evolve using characteristics or memorable dialogue as a jumping off point.

The stand-out sequence sees Jason infiltrate the local hospital in search of Tommy and Kyle, the hitchhiker from Never Hike Alone and creates absolute carnage.

While it felt like Never Hike in the Snow was concept over story, Never Hike Alone 2 is more assured in its storytelling, to the point that you feel it could slot well into the Friday mythology.

Never Hike Alone 2 feels like a fitting end to this story and has certainly shown that if or when the call comes, Womp Stomp Films are prepared to resurrect Jason and do it right.

Watch Never Hike Alone 2 on YouTube –