Halloween may have just passed by, but that doesn’t mean that spooky season is over.Eli Roth, the infamous horror filmmaker behind such classics asCabin FeverandHostel, is back for an absurdly entertaining riff on holiday pastimes with his new slasher filmThanksgiving.Thanksgivingfeatures just as much violence as Roth’s fans have come to expect from him, but includes enough goofy humor to indicate that there’s nothing about the film that anyone is taking all that seriously. While it’s unclear as of now ifThanksgivingwill be the first entry ina new slasher franchise, fans don’t need to stick around until after the credits roll becausethere is no post-credit teaser sequence.However, those who do wait until the end of the film can expect to seea fun blooper of one of the actors messing around on set. Apparently,Thanksgivingwas as fun to make as it was to watch!
Thanksgiving
After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts - the birthplace of the infamous holiday.
What Is ‘Thanksgiving’ About?
Thanksgivingtakes place in Plymouth, Massachusetts one year aftera riot on Black Friday turned into a massacrebecause of a crowd’s obsession over getting the hottest deals. The store’s owner (Rick Hoffman) has managed to evade any blame for the incident and wants to hold another mega sale this year, obviously learning nothing from last year’s tragedy. However, his teenage daughter, Jessica (Nell Verlaque), remains haunted by the incident and feels partially responsible for the escalation in violence.
Jessica’s situation goes from uncomfortable to dangerous whena mysterious masked killer begins killing people involved in the riot. Donning a John Carver mark, this mysterious murderer has the same wry sense of humor asScream’s Ghostface killers, taunting the teens with gruesome social media posts. The local Sheriff Newlon (Patrick Dempsey, also seen this year inFerrari) begins investigating the killings as those connected to the Black Friday riot are picked off one by one. As Jessica watches the town turn on itself, she realizes that John Carver won’t stop until he’s made a butcher’s board of everyone who was responsible for the Black Friday incident. It’s going to be a particularly gruesome Thanksgiving celebration, but John Carver promises that “there will be no leftovers.”Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, Jenna Warren, andAmanda Barkerco-star in the film.
‘Thanksgiving’ Took Eli Roth Over a Decade To Make
Thanksgivingis certainly not for the faint of heart, but that’s not all that surprising for fans of Roth.Like many of his films, there’s an element of social satire that pokes fun at consumerist culture. Roth examines how ridiculous the nature of “Black Friday” shopping is by showing how quickly a situation can get out of control. While Roth dabbled in other genres with his family filmThe House With A Clock In Its Wallsand the documentaryFin,Thanksgivingis a return to his horror roots.
Roth is perceived as a member of the “Splat Pack,” a group of independent filmmakers in the early 21st century that changed the horror genre by putting an emphasis on low-budget, hyper-violent storytelling. Other members of the “Splat Pack” includeRob Zombie,Leigh Whannell,Neil Marshall,James Wan,andAdam Green.While studios like Blumhouse have popularizedPG-13 horror filmsthat feature less graphic violence to appeal to younger audiences, the “Splat Pack” has proudly stood in defiance by pushing the audience’s comfort level with their extreme content.
Thanksgivingcomes to theaters in the U.S. on November 17.Click herefor showtimes near you.
