‘Thanksgiving Review: Holiday Horror For 90s Slasher Lovers
(NEXSTAR) – It's been 16 years, but Eli Roth's latest horror hit has finally arrived just in time for Thanksgiving. The first taste of Roth's "Thanksgiving" came in 2007, when the Roth-directed short film of the same name debuted as one of the trailers for Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's exploitation spoof film "Grindhouse."
And for fans of a certain type of horror film, “Thanksgiving” was worth the wait.
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The setting is very simple: a murderer disguised as a pilgrim returns to Plymouth, Massachusetts, a year after the infamous Black Friday riot that ended in death. One after another, many of the protagonists of the event become the target of the murderer's revenge.
Our main group of teenagers, led by Jessica (Nell Verlaque), try to help the local authorities, led by Sheriff Eric Newlon ( Patrick Dempsey ), catch the murderer before they cook their geese (or turkeys ).
An unexpectedly funny script co-written by Roth propels the horrific events forward, creating a subtle tone between horror and humor. True to the roots of the “Hostel” series, “Thanksgiving” features gruesome death scenes that contain enough excitement to keep your stomach from churning. But make no mistake: “Thanksgiving” gets its R rating thanks to a series of Christmas-themed murders you won’t forget come Thursday.
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Although Roth's original "Grindhouse" version of "Thanksgiving" was an homage to '70s slashers (think "Black Christmas" and "Halloween"), "Thanksgiving" (2023) feels more like one due to the cheesy dialogue Slasher film Thanksgiving evokes feelings you may have felt while watching the first Scream film in 1996 (or later watching it on VHS tape in secret because you were too young in 1996).
Even if "Scream" hadn't really changed the game, "Thanksgiving" would still be in its place alongside many Scream-catalyzed films like "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Urban Legend" and "Saint Valentine." . »
Roth's ninth film since his 2002 debut, "Cabin Fever," marks just over 20 years into his horror career, but the 51-year-old director and actor (recently seen in HBO's "The Idol") still knows how to make one makes a simple film. . horror movie feat, and he always seems to enjoy it.
So far, audiences seem hungry for “Thanksgiving.” The film grossed $10.2 million domestically in its opening weekend and currently has a score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Roth's highest-rated film of all time, according to Collider.
For “Thanksgiving,” Disney’s fantasy musical “Wish” and Ridley Scott’s historical drama “Napoleon” will be in theaters nationwide over the holiday weekend.
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