🩸🩸1/2 out of 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Directed by Eli Roth
After more than 15 years, Eli Roth has made good on his promise and has come home for Thanksgiving (2023)!
In 2007, Eli Roth created a mock trailer that was included in the Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s film Grindhouse. Roth’s trailer “Thanksgiving” served up the tagline “white meat, dark meat, all will be carved.” Finally, Roth has made our holiday horror dreams a reality and turned Thanksgiving into a feature film. It took you long enough Eli. (But, thank you!)
Thanksgiving stars Patrick Dempsey as Eric Newlon, the sheriff of Plymouth, Massachusetts, the birthplace of Thanksgiving. It is also home to the infamous Black Friday massacre when the crowd waiting outside of the RightMart department store literally busted down the doors, trampling shoppers and unleashing mayhem that resulted in many casualties.
One year later RightMart is preparing for another Black Friday sale amidst protests from the townspeople. In a tragic ironic twist, this includes Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque), daughter of the store’s owner, who had been in the store on the night of the tragedy.
As the countdown to Thanksgiving begins, Jessica and her friends begin being tagged in social media posts that show a table set for an ominous feast. Soon afterward, locals involved in the RightMart riot begin dying in horrific ways at the hands of a killer wearing a pilgrim’s mask and clothing. So this spurs Sheriff Newlon, and the teens work together to reveal the killer. But, no one is safe at Thanksgiving, and everyone is a suspect.
Evaluation:
Eli Roth has delivered an ode to the slasher films of the 80’s and one heck of a great time. If you’re looking for heavily developed characters or a deeper message in the madness, you have come to the wrong place.
This is holiday horror fun for horror’s sake, and I, for one, am so glad to have Roth back behind the camera. It’s no secret how much I love Eli Roth- I have 2 of his films on my top 25 list. Now, Thanksgiving has claimed a spot in the holiday horror canon and will be a new tradition in my house.
Thanksgiving is currently in theaters and is holiday horror fun for the whole family!
If you are looking for more holiday horror recommendations, check out podcast episode 83, where we cover some of our favorites!