The Blackening centers around a group of Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain’t no motherfu**in’ game. Directed by Tim Story (Ride Along, Think Like A Man, Barbershop) and co-written by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip, Harlem) and Dewayne Perkins (The Amber Ruffin Show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), The Blackening skewers genre tropes and poses the sardonic question: if the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first?
Genres:
Comedy, Horror
Rating:
R
Starring:
Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, with Jay Pharoah, and Yvonne Orji
Directed By:
Tim Story
Produced By:
Jason Clark, Marcei A. Brown, Tim Story, Tracy Oliver, E. Brian Dobbins, Sharla Sumpter Bridgett
Over the years we’ve seen many horror films with black people in some role within the it. In the past few years we have even seen films where black people are the stars of the horror film (Thank you, Jordan Peele). However the one thing that has been a definite trope forever in horror movies and black people is the fact that they usually die first.
But what happens when all the “victims” in the film are black? Who dies first? Do they all die? Well the story written by Dewayne Perkins and Tracy Oliver, directed by Tim Story answers that question for us.
The Blackening is a story about a Juneteenth vacation with old college friends. Some who have good friendships and some not so great. Hey, you don’t need to like everybody you knew in college. now while there are a mix of different types of horror films within this one, the one thing they really get right is the comedy aspect. I’ve sat thru way too many Black themed horror films where the comedy aspect is just so goofy the movie is just a joke at that point.
Not to say the horror parts of it aren’t good. The one thing I’m glad they did with this movie is that they move away from the trauma horror that has been a big part of films with black people in the past 3 years. There’s no real in your face threats of white people out to get them, flashbacks to days of slavery, or white people hurling racial slurs around like it’s “just how they were raised”.
The movie mixes multiple horror themes such as the opening “kill” scene from Scream. An isolated cabin way out in the middle of nowhere much like Cabin Fever or Cabin in the Woods. A gamemaster character that forces them to play a game or die, much like Jigsaw from Saw. Home invaders terrorizing the family within similar to The Strangers.
This is just an overall enjoyable horror flick that is certainly worth a look. But above all I’d say its worth a purchase when it hit home video or DVD/Blu-Ray.
