There Will Be No Leftovers
There Will Be No Leftovers
*Spoilers*
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, based on a concept trailer he created for 2007’s Grindhouse, is a fun-filled ride that pays homage to holiday-themed slashers. Encapsulating camp and gore, the film unfolds a compelling mystery where the characters must try to solve who’s behind a string of savage murders. But stuffed with formulaic horror movie tropes and attempting to successfully mash thrills and comedy, you’ll question if things feel undercooked.
Below, find a list of hits and misses from the latest holiday horror Thanksgiving.
HITS
Kills
Thanksgiving’s biggest selling point is its intense kill scenes. Roth doesn’t hold back and delivers carnage reminiscent of horror films of the ‘80s. Feeling like an old-school slasher with advanced graphics and effects, the over-the-top kills will have you squirming in your seat and laughing simultaneously. Amongst the most gruesome deaths involve one character being prepped and seasoned on a wooden table before being cooked alive in a giant oven, and when another character gets their head mercilessly pounded with a meat tenderizer in front of a table full of people. Eli Roth let his creative juices flow with the murders in Thanksgiving and they’ll be considered some of the best in recent slasher history.
Chase Scenes
Thanksgiving excels in the chase scene department, serving a healthy portion of cat-and-mouse sequences in playful settings. Karen Cliche, who plays the role of Kathleen, the bitchy stepmom, has one of the best chases in the film as she desperately tries to break free from the killer before being cooked alive. Suspense is built masterfully for this sequence and you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat rooting for Kathleen. Jenna Warren also has a top-tier chase after her character Yulia is brutally stabbed in her ears with corn holders. Again, this scene has an exhilarating buildup and the outcome is both satisfying and gut-wrenching. The final girl Jessica, played by Nell Verlaque, narrowly escapes the killer on a few occasions throughout the film and it’s the thrilling sensation we hope to feel from this genre.
The Killer + Reveal
Patrick Dempsey’s Sheriff Eric Newlon is the killer behind the carver mask in Thanksgiving and while it’s somewhat predictable, the big reveal still pays off. Dempsey commits to his villainous performance and his motive is simple yet effective. The pacing of the reveal could have been tightened as it’s quite obvious Sheriff Newlon is behind the murders a few minutes before he actually reveals himself, but even so, the final act works as a whole and it’s exciting to watch as Dempsey becomes more menacing and unhinged as he tries to take down Jessica. Are his actions insanely over the top based on his motive? Sure, but that doesn’t take away the fun factor.
Atmosphere
Thanksgiving follows the killing spree of the serial killer referred to as John Carver, who comes to a small town in Massachusetts with plans to make a deadly holiday meal out of the town’s residents. Inspired by films like Halloween, Black Christmas and My Bloody Valentine, the filmmakers succeed in visualizing the holiday setting with an Autumn color palette and Thanksgiving paraphernalia on full display. The killer’s mask, pilgrim attire and a Thanksgiving parade (that pays homage to the 4th of July parade in I Know What You Did Last Summer) are just a few ingredients that amplify the atmosphere.
MISSES
Story
It seems the norm with modern-day slashers, including Thanksgiving, is to take a comedy-first approach instead of committing to a more serious tone with comedic elements served as a side dish. While the film is receiving its appropriate praise, adjectives like goofy, silly and corny are being thrown around after initial viewings. Kudos to Roth if this was the reaction he was aiming for. It’s important for films of this genre to not take themselves too seriously, but with classics like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer as clear references it’s questionable why filmmakers struggle with tone so things don’t come across as cheesy. Thanksgiving could have been next level, like the films that inspired it, but it’s settled for being mindless, popcorn fun.
Opening
Thanksgiving kicks off with a Black Friday disaster that is so unbelievably brainless you will hope for all those involved to be killed within the fifteen-minute opening. It’s clear the goal is to demonstrate herd mentality and show maximum chaos but are we meant to believe an entire community is willing to involve themselves in mass murder for a sale on a small appliance? Surely those who had issues with the hospital scenes in Halloween Kills will find this opening equally moronic. Again, it seems the filmmakers were leaning into the comedy side here but instead of making an impact, it will have you scratching your head. Making the situation more realistic would have been easier to digest.
Soundtrack
Thanksgiving is heavily influenced by ‘80s and ‘90s slashers but it lacks a lively soundtrack to take us along for the ride. An iconic track listing baked in with the bloodshed would have elevated things. The film does score points for a vibrant closing credits animation that recreates some of the memorable kills we witness.
Character Development
The kills are truly dynamic in Thanksgiving, but the characters feel one-note. One of the most important elements of a successful slasher is to nail the character development so audiences are invested in those soon to be picked off. Without giving the characters time to marinate, it’s impossible to feel emotionally invested in them. Most of the main cast blend together and have zero redeeming qualities to make you care about them. It may have been beneficial to condense the group of teens to further flesh them out. Patrick Dempsey and Nell Verlaque are given the most screen time and they deliver praiseworthy performances. Jessica is a smart final girl; she has a vulnerability and a shy demeanor but becomes a fighter at the appropriate moments. Joe Delfin, who plays McCarty in a very minor role, is more likable and has more depth than the lead cast. Still, even with the character flaws, I’d be up for seconds with Thanksgiving. There are a good amount of survivors left standing at the end and a sequel where we get to know them better could be intriguing.
P.S. Fuck Spyglass 🙂
