Horror Movie Review: Tragedy Girls (2017)

“Anyone could be next… Even you.”
“You can find more information on our Tragedy Girls Twitter page!”

Tragedy Girls is a 2017 American comedy horror film directed by Tyler MacIntyre and written by Chris Lee Hill and Tyler MacIntyre.

Sleepy Midwestern town Rosedale is several murders deep into a killing spree. As the film opens, Sadie (Brianna Hildebrand) looks to be the next victim. But just as the hulking, Leatherfaced killer (Kevin Durand) is about to cut her down after a spooky midnight forest chase, he’s captured in a trap. It was laid by Sadie and her best friend McKayla (Alexandra Shipp), who chain him up in a water tower, taking selfies as they jolt him with a cattle prod.

Thirstily promoting their shared Twitter brand, @TragedyGirls, Sadie and McKayla have been chasing social media attention. With their amateur reporting on the Rosedale killings. But figure the task will be even easier if they take the killer’s place themselves. There isn’t too much backstory on how these two became remorseless killing machines. All that really matters is how neatly they manage to fit gruesome murders in between cheerleading practice and prom committee meetings.

In addition to some very particular shared interests, this blood-splattered duo are entirely credible as queen-bee besties. From their personalized slang to their easily-aroused jealousy. Default ringleader Sadie is from the wrong side of the tracks. She nurses a half-hidden infatuation with a shy classmate (Jack Quaid), who happens to be the son of the town’s hapless sheriff. McKayla is a rich girl whose chipper effervescence seems to suggest an even deeper strain of psychosis than her partner’s. And their lifelong friendship is threatened when the imprisoned killer (Lowell) starts to convince McKayla that she might be even deadlier on her own.

As the @TragedyGirls becomes an overnight sensation and panic grips their small town, can their friendship survive the strain of national stardom? Will they get caught? Will their accounts get verified?

Tragedy Girls started off so strongly and felt so fresh I was instantly enamoured. But, as the film rolled on it all began to go wrong. Tragedy Girls has all the makings of a great, modern horror comedy but suffers from an off-tone throughout. I should be finding the pair funny and supporting them in their murder quest. But, instead I ended up wanting them to get their comeuppance. Some scenes were just plain not funny and took the dark side a little too far for this genre (hanging scene). Considering it lacked enough gore over all, it felt like too much.

I also found it a huge mistake that they split the two up for a time as it felt nonsensical. It just wasn’t what I wanted to see. Besides tonal shifts, not enough gore and a bad plot in the second half, I enjoyed myself nonetheless. The cast were fantastic, my favourite being McKayla and Lowell who played crazy perfectly. Additionally I liked how it was shot and it’s aesthetic.