About the film (courtesy of Lionsgate):
A group of Black friends reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain’t no motherf****** game.
The Blackening begins with a group of seven Black friends arriving at a cabin in the woods for a Juneteenth celebration. The friends are all from different backgrounds, but they are all united by their love of Black culture. As the friends begin to party, they are unaware that they are being watched by a mysterious figure. The figure soon reveals himself to be a killer who is targeting Black people.
The Blackening has been praised by some critics already for its humor and its subversion of horror movie tropes. However, I found the film to be mostly unfunny, poorly written in terms creativity, and ultimately forgettable. Director Tim Story does do a decent job attempting to balance humor with horror, even though it isn’t executed in the affective manner that he must have hoped. With Story attached and taking into consideration his past successes, I truly expected more.
The biggest problem with The Blackening is its humor. The film is full of forced jokes and stereotypes that fall flat. For example, one character is constantly making jokes about how he’s “too black” for his friends. This joke is not only unfunny, but it’ll surely also be offensive to some. There needs to be a bit of delicacy in the presentation of such thing subjects in today’s society, that’s just the way it is. Yet, somehow, this film ignores everything and goes totally against the grain.
The Blackening leaves much to be desired in terms of the the writing. The characters are one-dimensional and the dialogue is often cringeworthy. For example, one character says, “I’m so black, I can make a shadow at night.” This line is something that a 12 year-old might come up with, but it’s just plain silly, and not in a good way.
Don’t expect a well thought out story because corners were cut here, as well. The Blackening is very predictable in how it unfolds. The killer is revealed early on and the film’s ending is telegraphed from a mile away. There are no surprises or twists to keep the audience engaged.
Overall, The Blackening is a disappointing film. It’s unfunny, poorly written, and ultimately forgettable. I would not recommend this film to most. There was an opportunity here to do something fun in the way that was done with the Scary Movie franchise, yet this boat was missed, entirely. And honestly, the funniest thing about this movie is its tagline that can be found the official poster here.
If you’re willing to take a chance on this one despite my stern warnings, you can catch The Blackening in theaters staring this Friday, June 16th with the obligatory early Thursday evening showings. You better be quick because I fear that its theatrical run won’t last long before Lionsgate kills it in lieu the home market run.
