Horror Movie Review: Thanksgiving (2023)

Directed by Eli Roth, who co-write it with Jeff Rendell, Thanksgiving can proudly call itself one of the better Thanksgiving-based horror films, which would be high praise if there weren’t so few. Funny enough, a holiday specific to America (mainly) hasn’t inspired many horror flicks, which does mean this entry will likely be a yearly treat for those who enjoy a bit of blood and guts to go alongside their turkey and stuffing.

It’s not just because there’s a lack of Thanksgiving horror films though, it’s because this film is decent. A fun slasher romp that ticks all the expected boxes and is brave enough to push the limits of blood and gore, even if it sometimes strays into absurd territories.

The story surrounds the town of Plymouth in Massachusetts, where disaster strikes on Thanksgiving when a mob descends on the local superstore to take advantage of a sale. It turns into a riot, one that results in several people being killed and injured.

One year later…

It’s Thanksgiving time again, and having learned nothing from last year, RightMart and its owner Thomas (Rick Hoffman) is having another sale. Much to the chagrin of his daughter, Jessica (Nell Verlaque) whose boyfriend, Bobby (Jalen Thomas Brooks) had his arm shattered ending his potential baseball career, and the sheriff, Eric (Patrick Dempsey). The latter of who has continued to investigate the events of the riot as no-one has been punished due to missing security footage. Most of the town has moved on though, with even some of the more unsavoury characters involved in the riot having clearly learned nothing.

Which is where our killer comes in. Donning a ‘John Carver’ mask (a pilgrim who made the Mayflower voyage in 1620 which resulted in the creation of Plymouth Colony in America), dressing like a pilgrim, and carving a bloody path through everyone who played a major part in the riot. Which includes Jessica, and her friends, who the killer directly taunts using not-Instagram.

As the bodies mount up, and the suspect list grows, it becomes clear that whoever is responsible for the killings won’t be happy until everyone involved is dead. There will be no leftovers – which is a line directly spoken in the film. Don’t take Thanksgiving too seriously.

It’s an unchain your brain film, as too much thinking causes the plot to unravel. Even with that, there are moments where you might be left scratching your head. Happily, Roth knows how to distract and quickly resorts to throwing a bucket of blood and guts at the screen, often via inventive death scenes and almost all using practical effects. It’s what Thanksgiving excels at, and be warned, the latter part of the film gets very violent, and ‘torture-porny’. Which isn’t too much of a surprise considering Roth is responsible for the likes of Hostel, Cabin Fever, and The Green Inferno.

Alas, while this an area of strength for the film, the writing is less impressive, and mainly comes apart with the characters. It’s rare you watch a film where almost everyone is unlikable or forgettable, including the leads. Unlikability is fine, but when it’s everyone that is marked for death? That’s a problem. Forgettability though, especially in the leads, is worse and while the actors have their own distinctions, each is playing caricatures that in this day and age, isn’t good enough. Putting it bluntly, the characters are trash.

Which brings me to the killer and the mystery surrounding their identity. Exciting, right? Yes, it is and it’s a lot of fun trying to work out who it is and why they would be going on a rampage. Many might find themselves guessing correctly, but the motivations? Not a chance, as the information revealed is brand-new and unnecessarily dark. Credit to the writing, direction, and acting that manages to turn minor characters into suspects, just based off a camera angle, a choice piece of dialogue, or a shifty look. It might be obvious who is a red herring, but it doesn’t mean it’s not fun seeing how their part in the story plays out.

It’s a decent slasher horror film with a hefty amount of violence and gore, nothing more and nothing less. The perfect family film to enjoy after Thanksgiving dinner.