‘The Blackening’ Movie Review: A Clever Horror Comedy Loses Its Luster
Photo from Glen Wilson/Lionsgate
From Jeff Nelson
The Blackening is a horror comedy that puts the jokes ahead of the scares, embracing its own silly nature to unpack how the slasher sub-genre treats its Black protagonists. Director Tim Story puts his own unique spin on the satire that is best experienced with a reactionary crowd. Even so, it doesn’t quite live up to expectations.
“The following is based on true events that never happened,” the opening text reads. A group of seven Black friends decide to meet up at a cabin in the woods for a reunion during Juneteenth weekend. They plan to party, play board games, and unwind during their time together. A serial killer is on the loose, who forces the group to play a dangerous, racially offensive trivia game. If they want to survive the weekend, they’ll have to play by the rules.
The looming danger of a masked killer is only one of their concerns, as they’re all forced to confront their pasts. Lisa (Antoinette Robertson) and Dewayne’s (Dewayne Perkins) friendship rests at the heart of the film, which is threated by her decision to get back with an old boyfriend named Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), who never treated her right. The Blackening forces the friend group to work together, while simultaneously facing their deepest insecurities rooted far back in their relationships.
Tracy Oliver and Perkins’ screenplay coats its race-based satire in clear inspirations from the likes of Scream, The Cabin in the Woods, The Evil Dead, and the Scary Movie franchise. It’s packed with jump scares and fake outs, but Story keeps the mood light with a heavy emphasis on the jokes. There are plenty of jabs aimed at horror movies, but it doesn’t succeed when it wants to be digested as a horror thriller itself.
The Blackening gets off to a strong start that it isn’t able to sustain over the remainder of its runtime. The trivia game-based humor works, as the card prompts from the horribly unsettling board grow increasingly unhinged. However, it loses steam at the halfway point, where it follows generic, predictable slasher plot beats, while there’s a noticeable decrease in the number of laughs. It serves as commentary on the formulaic nature of the genre, while committing the very same mistake itself with an uninspired Jigsaw-esque villain who never feels as threatening as they should.
Story explores this narrative with a fitting soundtrack that amplifies the cast’s energy, although his use of artificial light and darkness fall flat in their fight for survival. The actors deliver an infectious energy through their lively performances that sell the comedic timing of the film’s best gags. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to carry a concept that isn’t quite pushed far enough.
The Blackening inverts racial horror movie tropes, but they don’t translate into a successful feature length belonging to either of its genre categories. There are some clever jokes scattered throughout, but they’re few and far between. An unimposing antagonist, thinly-drawn characters, and limp scares make for a rather tame viewing experience.
Rating: 2/5
The Blackening hits theaters on June 16th, 2023.
