The movie The Slashening, released in 2015, is a horror comedy that follows a group of young friends who travel to a remote cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway. The group is comprised of four women and two men, and their plan is to have a wild party and forget about their problems for a few days. However, their plans are soon interrupted by a masked killer who begins to terrorize them one by one.
The main character of the movie is Jamie, played by Anna Callegari, who is a socially awkward and sexually inexperienced woman. She is often the victim of the group's teasing and mockery, but she is also the only one who senses that something is wrong in the cabin. Jamie's intuition proves to be accurate when one of her friends is brutally murdered in front of her eyes.
The rest of the movie follows Jamie and the remaining survivors as they try to figure out who the killer is and how to stop them. Along the way, they encounter various clichés of the horror genre, such as the creepy gas station attendant and the abandoned cemetery. The movie also plays with the audience's expectations by subverting some of these tropes in unexpected ways.
One of the standout aspects of The Slashening is its humor. The movie is full of witty one-liners and absurd situations that make it clear the filmmakers weren't taking themselves too seriously. However, the humor never feels like it undercuts the tension or horror of the situation. Instead, it provides a welcome relief from the blood and gore.
The movie also benefits from its strong performances, particularly from Anna Callegari as Jamie. She brings a vulnerability to the character that makes the audience root for her even when the odds are against her. Additionally, the supporting cast, including Sam Reece and Elyse Brandau, are all believable as the group of friends.
Visually, The Slashening is reminiscent of classic slasher movies from the 80s, with lots of dark shadows and jump scares. However, it also has a modern aesthetic that keeps it from feeling stale or dated. The filmmakers clearly had fun playing with the visual language of horror movies, often juxtaposing tense moments with sudden bursts of color or comedic moments.
Overall, The Slashening is a fun and entertaining horror comedy that manages to pay homage to its genre while still feeling fresh and original. It's not a movie that aims to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't need to. Its combination of humor and horror, along with its strong performances and clever visuals, make it an enjoyable addition to the slasher movie canon.
The Slashening is a 2014 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes.
It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.5.
