Movie Review: “Thanksgiving” Isn’t A Turkey, But It Needs Some Spicing Up

Whenever there’s a festive holiday meant for joy and laughter, there are those who mischievously twist the general sentiment to give folks a reason to fear the occasion. This film is an example of that. “Thanksgiving”, directed by Eli Roth – known for gory films such as “Green Inferno” – seems to follow that notion with a touch more humour compared to his previous works, and with more thematically-appropriate and over-the-top kills.

With that said, is Thanksgiving worthy of becoming the main attraction at the festive dinner table – or is it just something that should be skipped altogether?

The story begins at the most horrifying place to be: a grocery store (Right Mart), during Black Friday (which is odd considering the title, but that’s something that can be easily overlooked). Though it may seem benign at first, it’s from this grocery store that the main conflict and driving force of the film are derived, as several people lose their lives during an avoidable stampede. A year later, a vengeful killer emerges and starts methodically eliminating people who were involved in the incident.

Most of the focus is given to Jessica Wright, daughter of Right Mart owner Thomas Wright, who struggles to survive the killer’s wrath as she finds herself among the targets. The film has an interesting conundrum where all the victims are at fault, one way or another. Unfortunately, all the characters aren’t given a proper backstory except Jessica, and even then, it’s quite barebones (dead mom and nothing else). The other characters Jessica teams up with are the stereotypical meat-headed jocks and popular girls, and those outside the group are there to add to the film’s body count.

Additionally, if you’re sick of the dumb blonde girl character and the like, you’ll be happy to know that this film doesn’t have that trope that often plagues old horror films, though the jocks are aggressive and blunt, they mean well and are still pretty reasonable when it comes down to it. Furthermore, the bad decisions that lead to the deaths of the characters are largely due to them letting their guard down, as the killer strikes when you least expect it or when the victims are in absolute panic, not due to stupidity (thankfully).

One of the film’s strong suits is its whodunnit plot, with several people suspected of being the killer(s), similar to the original Friday the 13th, as several potential suspects, each with their own motives, are linked to be the prime suspects. This expanding list of potential killers is what keeps you invested in the film, as not only does it give the killer(s) an air of mystery but also heightens the tension and distrust among the main cast.

While on that topic, it should be noted that a horror film is as good as its villain; they are the source of the tension and driving force. If they’re not given care and attention, then the whole film might as well not happen. One of the main weaknesses of Thanksgiving is that it misses the prime opportunity to explore the villain and provide the audience with nuggets of information on what makes them tick. Since people are already guessing who is underneath the killer’s mask, small hints about his identity would have been great, as it would allow the audience to sympathise with their motives even more. Instead, the filmmakers decide to just info dump us during one of the film’s climaxes.

Despite that, the kills are gory, brutal and creative, with all of them depicted through excellent use of practical and CG effects. Not only that, the film manages to inject some humour into the mix, giving way for the film’s dark wit. It can be argued that the comedy in this film is the kind that doesn’t overstay its welcome, nor is it so abundant that it washes away the horror aspect of the film, but many may view this as the film trying too hard to get a reaction from the audience. What is excessive, however, is the number of cheap jump scares that are scattered throughout the film, which bogs it down. And cheezy, one-liner exchanges are ultimately what sink the movie.

Thanksgiving doesn’t seem much compared to other horror films; its campy storyline and missed opportunities to have more substance are what will keep it away from the collective consciousness of horror genre lovers. However, it’ll be interesting enough to some viewers that it might just get by and survive the sands of time as a cult classic. Despite all the criticism, this might be the seasonal scare you might be looking for.

Thanksgiving will be in theatres on Thursday, 30th November