‘Thanksgiving’ Movie Review: Eli Roth Delivers A New Instant Slasher Classic
Photo from Sony Pictures
From Joe Peltzer
2007’s Grindhouse gave us a look at a potential Thanksgiving slasher in the form of a trailer that Eli Roth has now, 16 years later, baked into a reality. The result is a highly entertaining, gruesome outing that balances humor and gore in a self-aware instant classic.
It’s Thanksgiving time in Plymouth, Massachussetts, just a year after a deadly riot at a the local big-box store shook the town as early deals pulled the masses from their dining room tables. Suddenly there is a mysterious killer on the loose who is quickly racking up a significant body count (and stumping the town’s Sheriff Newton, played by Patrick Dempsey) in the small town with a group of teenagers seemingly in his sights. Nell Verlaque plays Jessica, the daughter of the owner of the big-box store that was the scene of the previous year’s horrors, where she and her core group of friends Gabby (Addison Rae), Evan (Tomaso Sanelli), Scuba (Gabriel Davenport), and Yulia (Jenna Warren), were present. Her boyfriend Bobby (Jalen Thomas Brooks), who was also there), ghosted her after being injured that day, and she has since began dating Ryan (Milo Manheim).
A year later, a social media account begins tagging each of the teens in subsequent posts, their names visible on placeholders at a set dining table. Chaos of course then ensues as the mystifying killer in a John Carver mask, depicting the first governor of the town, picks off towns people one by one. From the jump, it’s clear that everyone involved is in on the joke, the premise obviously absurd and born out of a rebuke of toxic consumerism. Still, everyone from Verlaque to Dempsey, even Rick Hoffman and Gina Gershon, are fully committed. As the kills mount, some reminiscent of previous genre classics like House of Wax and Scream, Thanksgiving never loses its focus. The entire production is welcomingly flush with I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes; many of our favorite 90s slashers get nods, whether in the nostalgic, simple set design or the character construction. Nell Verlaque is the Neve Campbell and Jennifer Love Hewitt of today’s slasher. The twisty tale from Roth and writing partner Jeff Rendell keeps you guessing as it also keeps the audience endlessly entertained, whether in the creative demise of some wacky characters (Kathleen Cliche has a wild third act presence involving a trip to the oven as a basted delicacy) or the corny, yet oddly perfect humor sewn throughout. Brandon Roberts’ gives the film’s tone a big assist with a mix of haunting and vibrant melodies.
Thanksgiving is not without its faults, of course. Manheim’s character is largely thrown into the mix as simply another suspect from the very beginning, his inclusion largely forgettable. One could also say that there are many familiar tropes plotted out, from the group of teens as the focus to the killer’s impressive avoidance of capture in a modern day. The latter, at least, is explained away through quick, but noticeable lines of dialogue that are clearly included to tell the audience “yes, we’re thinking about that, too.”
In the familiarity, however, there is also a comfort; this is a film that knows what it is and delivers it full throttle. Purposefully ludicrous moments instantly put a smile on my face, whether it was the killer’s Thanksgiving-themed means of killing, the “no leftovers” pun, or a giant gas-filled turkey balloon… it all worked. What results is a highly satisfying remarkable achievement with Roth delivering on a long gestating idea that at one time seemed like a throwaway joke. Moreover, Thanksgiving is likely to become a cult classic slasher and left me ready for another helping of John Carver’s rampage.
Rating: 4/5
Thanksgiving hits theaters on November 17th, 2023.
