Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING began as a fake trailer in 2007's GRINDHOUSE, a three hour plus homage (containing two full length films) to the sorts of things that played back in the day in downmarket cinemas, usually in urban, often sketchy areas.  Director Eli Roth fashioned an entertaining appetizer that tipped its bloodied hand to the many holiday themed slashers of the early '80s.  For several years he attempted to realize it as a full length feature and finally succeeded in 2023. "Succeeded" might be arguable to some viewers, but I found this to be enough fun to recommended to those who grew up on this sort of movie.  

The killer is usually someone out for revenge.  Someone wronged in some fashion.  It's been one year since a Thanksgiving Day Black Friday stampede at RightMart in Plymouth, Massachusetts resulted in several deaths and injuries.  Our assailant dons a John Carver (17th century Plymouth Colony governor) mask and begins picking off those he feels were responsible and aided and abetted the carnage.   Among the targets are aggressive shoppers, security guards, and the family and friends of teen Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque), whose father Thomas (Rick Hoffman) owns the store.  The murders grow increasingly gruesome and creative.  One victim ends up in an oven and is served as a main course to unwilling diners.   Who could be behind such unspeakably ghoulish acts?

Yeah, it's a whodunnit, and Jeff Rendell's screenplay plays the usual notes of having a few characters teased as likely suspects.  If you've seen any horror films, you know that the real killer is probably someone you didn't suspect. 

THANKSGIVING opens strongly with the tense, well staged Black Friday mayhem.  From there, Roth generally keeps things flowing, his celebrated kill scenes also well staged.  Many reference earlier movies, but of course.  The violence is brutal, with plenty of spurting gore that we know is computer generated but still might hit some viewers' nausea receptors.  The sinister energy Roth employs is the reason to watch this.  Any points made about the corrosiveness of consumerism are old hat and overly familiar by now. 

The cast, mostly unknown to me, were fine.  Patrick Dempsey is engaging as the Sheriff.  Hoffman, best known from his role on Suits was entertaining but not given enough screen time.  If you stay past the credits, he gets an amusing final word.  Er, bird.