The slasher film “Thanksgiving” was released in theaters on Nov. 17, scoring big with fans and critics alike. The film has notched an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with mostly positive reviews for director Eli Roth’s latest horror installment while also grossing $36.8 million against a $15 million budget as of Monday, Dec. 4.
The film stars Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Milo Manheim, Rick Hoffman and Gina Gershon, among others. The story centers around the Thanksgiving holiday, where a secret killer in a John Carver mask is preparing to carve up a group of teens and their confidants after a deadly in-store riot breaks out on the previous year’s Black Friday.
There are many positives to take away from “Thanksgiving.” For starters, while the premise may be over-the-top and unnatural, it somehow works as the film balances the comedic element to go along with the slasher-style cinema.
The kill scenes within the film are well done. They’re brutal, unique and a surprise considering the cast isn’t filled with the most top-level or experienced performers. One scene that comes to mind is when the killer bakes a character in the oven like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Verlaque’s role as the lead, Jessica, is the best throughout. Her performance was as solid as you can get in a horror-type environment. Dempsey and Gabriel Davenport should also be praised for their performances.
There are some negatives to this film. While the acting was better than expected, it lacked in some areas, as some of the lines felt either forced or just didn’t come out strongly. Some logic and time gaps are missing, mostly during the background of the film and how things occurred on Black Friday.
There are elements in “Thanksgiving” that make it a worthwhile watch. Today, we’ve seen slasher films become secondary to psychological thrillers or horror films that leave you thinking critically. “Thanksgiving” is quite the opposite: it’s a simple movie that gets the job done, bringing slasher films back to how they used to be.
If you like slasher movies, “Thanksgiving” is the perfect movie for you. This film has the potential to bring out the best of the genre, hopefully paving the way for more standalone slasher films in the future.
PHOTO COURTESY OF VOX
