'Thanksgiving' is a fun cartoonishly violent holiday themed slasher flick that successfully homages the aesthetics from the slasher films from the 80's and 90's and breathes some much-needed new life into the genre. The movie provides plenty of gruesome kills and effective chase sequences as well as some fun throwback moments to other films of the genre without over doing it and yet still managed to find its own identity.
The Plot = A year after the horrific riot on Black Friday ended in tragedy, a masked killer begins terrorizing the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts and killing off those who were responsible one by one, leading up to a bloody finale.
I remember seeing the original fake trailer back in 2007's "Grindhouse" movie and instantly loved it and hoped that one day it would become a feature length movie. Now finally 16 years later we finally got one and it didn't disappoint. Directed by Eli Roth (who also did the fake trailer) delivers a twisted homage with plenty of jaw dropping moments, inventive Thanksgiving themed kills and plenty of dark comedy that blends seamlessly with the carnage and mayhem. There are a few minor flaws such as the predictable nature of the narrative and lack of an effective mystery element, but none detracts any enjoyment from this flick.
The performances are top notch here with Nell Verlaque providing a decent and serviceable performance as the final girl Jessica. Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, and Gabriel Davenport each gives solid performances. Patrick Dempsey and Gina Gershon were also strong additions to the cast.
Overall 'Thanksgiving' is a clever, entertaining slasher flick that delivers plenty of genuine enjoyment and serves as an effective love letter to the golden age of slasher classics.
The Plot = A year after the horrific riot on Black Friday ended in tragedy, a masked killer begins terrorizing the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts and killing off those who were responsible one by one, leading up to a bloody finale.
I remember seeing the original fake trailer back in 2007's "Grindhouse" movie and instantly loved it and hoped that one day it would become a feature length movie. Now finally 16 years later we finally got one and it didn't disappoint. Directed by Eli Roth (who also did the fake trailer) delivers a twisted homage with plenty of jaw dropping moments, inventive Thanksgiving themed kills and plenty of dark comedy that blends seamlessly with the carnage and mayhem. There are a few minor flaws such as the predictable nature of the narrative and lack of an effective mystery element, but none detracts any enjoyment from this flick.
The performances are top notch here with Nell Verlaque providing a decent and serviceable performance as the final girl Jessica. Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, and Gabriel Davenport each gives solid performances. Patrick Dempsey and Gina Gershon were also strong additions to the cast.
Overall 'Thanksgiving' is a clever, entertaining slasher flick that delivers plenty of genuine enjoyment and serves as an effective love letter to the golden age of slasher classics.