[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Black Christmas (2019)
The original Black Christmas film was released in 1974, it was essentially a slasher movie that focused on a sorority being stalked, harassed, and killed off by an unknown killer during the Christmas holiday. The 1974 film keeps it simple as it didn’t tackle the killer’s motivations or backstory. With the simplistic plot, it received mixed reviews, but the 2019 “remake” of Black Christmas basically removes the simplistic plot and reinvents itself. It instead has several killers with a form of supernatural forces that manifests itself as toxic masculinity; when a woman refuses to submit to a man the male will lash out.
When you watch the trailer it pulls the viewer in with the notion that it will be a traditional slasher film, but in reality, it is much more than that. It instead is more of toxic masculinity vs females who are tired of being considered inferior to males. It is still a slasher film regardless of the several changes from the original, but instead of using the tired trope of the last person standing, it instead has a group vs group finale; showing off the resilience females have against males attackers.
It is PG-13 has the gory scenes are more so implied; a gory action will take place but then cut away at the last second to keep its PG-13 rating. There were several dialogue choices that didn’t land as the writers thought it would. Some lines were an attempt to flip traditional phrases surrounds feminism and toxic masculinity in humor but deep meaning, but it only takes the viewer out of the movie. As for the cast, the acting is decent at best. Some of the performances are over-exaggerated such as Cary Elwes as a misogynistic professor; while others just seem uninspired, like Imogen Poots as sorority sister Riley. The movie hints at a deeper backstory in which she’s lost both of her parents. Instead of exploring that, though, her defining characteristic is that she was sexually assaulted sometime prior to the movie and is still reeling from it.
After watching horror films such as Jordan Peele’s US, Ready or Not, Midsommar, and Happy Death Day 2U, I was hoping that Black Christmas could continue the trend but instead it is a blemish in the horror category this year.
Rating: 2/5[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF4yRYbo1WE” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Just a guy that grew up on DC and the MCU, anime, and video games and loves traveling across the world and learn about different cultures.
