Cast: Addison Rae, Patrick Dempsey, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque, Milo Manheim, Gina Gershon, Tim Dillon, Rick Hoffman, Gabriel Davenport, Tomaso Sanelli, Jenna Warren
Director: Eli Roth
Ratings: ⭐️⭐️
Review: Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, initially a brief yet memorable trailer within Grindhouse, promised an homage to ’80s slasher films. The anticipation for a feature-length adaptation of this fake movie was met with a momentary glimmer of hope, considering Roth’s genre-savant reputation. However, as the film unfolds, it becomes apparent that this Thanksgiving feast serves more as a reheated leftover than a satisfying cinematic meal.
The original Thanksgiving trailer encapsulated the essence of ’80s slasher flicks with grotty visuals, a sleazy synth score, and a nod to classic horror tropes. Roth successfully paid tribute to the era, creating a brief but effective homage that left an impression. Unfortunately, the feature film fails to capture the cleverness, creativity, and cutting edge of its predecessor.
While the movie borrows images from the fake trailer, it lacks the visual charm that could have elevated it. The smart, scuzzed-out riff on holiday-themed horror films transforms into a poorly made mediocrity filled with half-baked homages and lazy filmmaking. Roth’s attempt to expand on the trailer’s sick joke falls flat, leaving viewers wondering why they expected something unique from this director.
Thanksgiving evening in Plymouth, Massachusetts, becomes the backdrop for chaos as Black Friday madness ensues at RightMart. The film introduces a cast of characters, including Mitch, Amanda, Eric, the Wright family, and a mysterious killer dressed as a pilgrim. A year later, the town is still reeling from the massacre, and the killer resurfaces, targeting those who shopped that fateful night.
The film’s centerpiece, a massacre at RightMart, is the only set piece that displays any panache and a sense of terror. However, it’s over too quickly, leaving the audience craving more. The subsequent narrative unfolds predictably, with underwhelming kills, final-girl pursuits, mild critiques of capitalism, and sporadic nods to the original trailer.
Thanksgiving, instead of being a fresh take on the slasher genre, feels like a messy attempt to capitalize on past glory. Despite Roth’s efforts to put the cast through slasher-flick paces, the film lacks both frights and fun. The killer’s tagline, “There will be no leftovers this year,” becomes ironic, as the film itself is nothing but reheated leftovers, lacking the effort to add anything substantial to the cinematic party. In the end, Thanksgiving can indeed go stuff itself – a forgettable addition to Eli Roth’s repertoire.