Thanksgiving Dir: Eli Roth (Film Review)

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It may not mean much to Kiwis, but to Americans, well, it’s as big as Christmas. And with this new slasher film, almost as much fun!

Starring: Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon

Based on a Grindhouse trailer from 2007 (that doesn’t seem too promising) now it’s a film. The faux trailer was directed and narrated by Eli Roth who has a long and admirable history in the horror genre having helmed such titles as Hostel, Cabin Fever and Death Wish.

The film takes place in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts (home of the first Thanksgiving in 1621). It’s Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday has started early with delirious shoppers chomping at the bit to get into their local “Right Mall” for big holiday savings and free waffle irons.

The crowd goes wild, a stampede ensues, thanks, in part, to a gaggle of high school students who sneak in the store a few minutes early, taunting the crowd outside.

The riot ends in tragedy, shoppers are killed or mutilated and waffle irons are stolen.

The town is traumatized, but not enough to close the store the following year.

Wait a minute…you are already getting too much plot here. What you need to know is that there is a substantial body count throughout the film as a sadistic killer wearing a mask of a man called “John Carver” (1^st governor of Plymouth way back in the 1600’s) stabs, shoots, crushes and generally terrorizes members of the town…particularly the high school students (of course).

The film’s pacing is perfect and the kills are wonderfully gory. They are as hilarious as they are terrifying. I didn’t know whether to cover my eyes or just keep laughing.

There is a particularly gruesome scene involving a step-mother, an oven and some basting that you won’t want to miss. All I can say is, stay away from the thigh.

Like all great Thanksgivings, this one had no leftovers, just plenty of good, gory fun and a detail near the end that leaves plenty of room for a sequel.

Be sure to see this film on an empty stomach.

Marty Duda

Thanksgiving opens in cinemas today

Click here for showtimes and tickets