We Can’t All Die First.
We Can’t All Die First.
Director Tim Story’s new slasher comedy, The Blackening, puts a lens on Black American culture in the horror genre. Although the film pays homage to popular franchises like Friday the 13th, Scream and Saw, we’re offered a fresh and original screenplay told from a Black perspective. With a hilarious script, dynamic performances and smooth pacing, The Blackening surpasses expectations and it’s an all-out blast from start to finish.
Written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, the narrative centers around seven Black friends who reunite at a cottage in the woods to celebrate the Juneteenth weekend. While there, they discover a game room that holds a trivia game called “The Blackening”. Soon the friends are trapped battling a deranged masked killer with a vendetta. This deadly game of cat and mouse prompts introspection about race, friendship and identity and the group’s survival depends on their street smarts and knowledge of pop culture and horror movies.
The Blackening highlights deeper themes and critiques conventional horror movie tropes, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously, effortlessly mixing laughs and thrills. The film provides solid lessons about how we play into stereotypes but it’s handled in a satirically entertaining way. So often these days we see woke agendas pushed to the point of sacrificing a script and fortunately that isn’t the case here. We’re introduced to likable characters who are made to examine an array of Black culture topics and then use their learnings as survival skills against the killer. In a modern wave of socially conscious horror, The Blackening has revitalized the horror-comedy genre and elevated what it can offer. Had filmmakers increased the horror elements it would have been an even bigger success. The film does lean in on the comedy side and the horror is sometimes lacking.
I was unfamiliar with most of the cast going in but they all performed exceptionally well and brought something unique to the table. The characters are memorable and each showcased a fleshed-out personality. The story not only features a powerful Black cast but also focuses on the strengths of Black women and queer people who are, at times, overlooked by society. X Mayo and Dewayne Perkins, who play Shanika and Dewayne, are two of the most dimensional characters of the bunch and they serve up the camp in their roles. Antoinette Robertson, Grace Byers and Melvin Gregg act as our leads and it’s fun to watch as they work to outsmart the killer. The ensemble cast all have brilliant chemistry and it’s exciting to witness the dilemmas they endure. I look forward to seeing what projects they do next.
The Blackening is the perfect summer slasher to watch at a cottage with friends. The pacing was tight throughout the 96-minute runtime and there weren’t any scenes that dragged. The cinematography and soundtrack are bold and the film opens with an energetic title sequence that hooks you in. One flaw is that the horror segments were quite standard and the film needed higher stakes. A bigger body count, which films seem to shy away from lately, would have upped the emotion and drama. Still, we’re treated to compelling twists and turns and the reveal packs a punch.
The Blackening features references to the classic slasher films we grew up to love with a nice balance of comedy, thrills and social commentary. Despite its somewhat standard slasher narrative, the film is a refreshing satire about how Black characters are handled in the horror genre. It’s hilarious, spooky and full of flavor; a must-see for fans of horror comedies.
