Thanksgiving (2023) spoiler free review
There will be no leftovers. Thanksgiving is a 2023 American slasher film directed by Eli Roth, written by Roth and Jeff Rendell, and produced by Roth, Rendell, and Roger Birnbaum. It’s based on Roth’s mock trailer of the same name from Grindhouse (2007). It was released in theaters in the United States by TriStar Pictures on November 17, 2023.
An axe-wielding maniac terrorizes residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts after a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy. Picking off victims one by one, the seemingly random revenge killings soon become part of a larger, sinister plan.
Film synopsis
The cast includes Patrick Dempsey as Sheriff Eric Newlon, Nell Verlaque as Jessica, Addison Rae as Gabby, Jalen Thomas Brooks as Bobby, Milo Manheim as Ryan, Rick Hoffman as Thomas Wright, Gina Gershon as Amanda Collins, Tomaso Sanelli as Evan, Gabriel Davenport as Scuba, Jenna Warren as Yulia, Karen Cliche as Kathleen, Jeff Teravainen as Deputy Bret Labelle, Joe Delfin as McCarty, Ty Olsson as Mitch Collins, Mika Amonsen as Lonnie, Shailyn Griffin as Amy, Tim Dillon as Manny, Amanda Barker as Lizzie, Chris Sandiford as Doug, Derek McGrath as Mayor Cantin, Lynne Griffin as Grandma, and Adam MacDonald as the voice of The Carver.
My opinion
A year after a Black Friday sale at the RightMart superstore ended in tragedy, a killer stalks the residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts. One by one, those “responsible” for the riot are hunted down, forcing Jessica Wright, the daughter of the store owner, and her friends, who were present that night, to investigate and unmask this serial killer. Feeling like an homage to Scream (1996) and the slashers of the 2000s, Thanksgiving is a bloody and fun slasher that reuses the already well-known formula of this subgenre while still being entertaining.
Eli Roth is known for making highly bloody and grotesque films such as Cabin Fever (2002) and Hostel (2005). Even though Thanksgiving doesn’t reach the same level of gore, it’s still creative and impressive. The cast, lead by Patrick Dempsey and Nell Verlaque, it’s charismatic and relatable, keeping the audience interested and never leaving aside the fact that they are teenagers behaving like one. Dempsey‘s solid performance leaves the hope of seeing him again in this genre, especially due to the rumors of a possible return to the Scream franchise.
Like every slasher, this one follows a well-established formula that can make the plot predictable. But, that doesn’t take away from how entertaining and funny it is. Thanksgiving creates a good balance between slasher and satire, making it one of Roth’s best projects to date. At the end this film was worth the wait and after its ending similar to My Bloody Valentine (2009) we should be alert if a sequel could be on the way.