A group of college friends gather at a cabin in the woods, for a weekend reunion of sorts. What could go wrong? Well, we know what could go wrong, but the twist in the comedy-horror film THE BLACKENING is the all-black cast and the comedy-horror film’s determined satiric skewering of that old horror film knack for killing off the Black character first. But like the film’s tagline says, they can’t all die first.
In fact, THE BLACKENING leans much more into satiric comedy than horror, having fun with every little horror trope, not just the racist ones. But it does whittle down the group of friends as it goes and provides some jump scares. On one level, the humor is smart and knowing but it has plenty of quick, broad humor. If it is GET OUT meets SCARY MOVIE, it favors the latter a bit more, from the director who brought us BARBERSHOP and RIDE ALONG, Tim Story.
The talented all-Black cast includes Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, and Yvonne Orji, with a lone exception – a white policeman (James Preston Rogers). The long -time friends are the usual assortment of lovers and ex-lovers, old best friends and old enemies, the big ego guy and the shy guy, and someone no one likes. While director Tim Story keeps things on the funny side, he also keeps the pace fast so there is hardly a moment between bits. This is essentially an ensemble film, although each cast member has their spotlight moment, and it is often the whole cast of characters working together in scenes. Or those who are left at least.
A lot of the mayhem starts in the game room, which is filled with tons for familiar board games and more, which makes it a draw for the game-loving guests. But there is a certain unfamiliar board game on table in the center of the room, bearing the name of the movie, “the Blackening,” with some disturbingly racist content. As the victims fall, the terrified people remaining race from place to place (as everyone always does in horror movies) while they try to figure out who is doing this, and why. Is it a murderous stranger? A racist madman? Is it that white cop? Someone they know with a grudge? One of them?
The humor is sharp and satiric, delivered in a rapid-fire manner. The film has its roots in a sketch by the comedy group 3Peat on Comedy Central in 2018. While the humor works for any audience, it is particularly geared to delight a Black audience, with winking in-jokes and more. There are moments of pointed humor, playing with all those horror tropes like the room full of games.
Real scares are scarce but the room itself is has its sinister side, with its creepy racist game and the fact that the green door is sometimes locked, sometimes not, and the door itself is sometimes hidden. But for the most part THE BLACKENING pours on the comedy, making use of all that horror film potential with humor squarely aimed at a Black audience in particular. This is broad humor for the most part, often delivered rapid fire, with the occasional sly joke. With the movie’s fast pace, hardly any horror film cliches escape un-skewered
THE BLACKENING is not a high-concept twist on the genre like GET OUT was (nor does it intend to be) but is a light and crazy comedy-horror film that focuses laser-like on those characters often killed off first and pokes fun at the genre’s flaws. Anyone can enjoy is horror movie fun, but it is a special treat for Black horror fans.
THE BLACKENING opens Friday, June 16, in theaters.
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
