‘They/Them’ (2022) Review – A Bloody Brilliant Love Letter To Old-School Slashers

Directed By: John Logan

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Anna Chlumsky, Anna Lore, Monique Kim, Carrie Preston

Plot Summary: When a group of LGBTQ+ campers arrive at Whistler Camp – a conversion camp run by Owen Whistler (Kevin Bacon) – they are promised a “new sense of freedom” by the end of the week. But as the counselors attempt to psychologically break down each of the campers, a mysterious killer starts claiming victims, and they must reclaim their power if they’re going to survive the horrors of the camp.

Camp slashers have been a summertime staple ever since Friday the 13th was first unleashed on an unsuspecting audience in 1980. This movie starred a young, and at the time mostly unknown, Kevin Bacon. Over forty years later, Bacon returns to sunshine and camping in the Peacock horror film They/Them. I really wanted to cover this movie because, first and foremost, I of course love horror movies, especially Blumhouse stuff. More importantly, though, I thought someone like myself who is gender-fluid should weigh in on this flick. Horror has always been a genre that has, shall we say, a very complex history with the LGBTQ community. More often than not, if we in the community aren’t being ignored, we are typically comic relief, and most assuredly, we won’t survive. Thankfully, inclusion in horror films has been greatly improving in recent years, but we still have a long way to go.

As you might imagine, I was a bit nervous about how exactly this subject matter would be handled. John Logan, who is making his directorial debut, is tasked with tackling this material respectfully yet in a way that doesn’t hold back. Not to mention, you also want keep things fun. Well, fellow campers, I am happy to report that Logan has managed to balance all this nicely in a fresh horror outing. It’s clear as ‘crystal lake’ that the filmmaker is a huge horror fan, and the movie has some nice references to other slashers. Some are more on the nose, such as name checking a certain hockey masked killer, to more subtle nods to films like Sleepaway Camp. The incredible thing is, this movie has gender non-conforming actors playing gender non-conforming characters. This is truly refreshing and possibly the only time this has happened in horror. I’ll go a step further and say that this is one of the few slasher films where I don’t want to see any of the campers die.

Logan pulls zero-punches in stressing how the true evil are homophobic, transphobic people and how conversion therapy is vile and shameful. Seeing these characters pour their hearts out during the first group therapy session is not only a short cut for natural exposition but it really is harrowing and powerful stuff. There is one scene of “treatment” that was an emotional punch to the gut, but it did serve a larger narrative and thematic purpose. Wisely, the more serious and harrowing aspects are balanced out with some well-placed humor which keeps things from getting too bleak. Yet, this never seems to undercut the serious nature of the premise. The screenplay is whip smart and allows for a great deal of tension, not to mention quite a few clever twists up their sleeves. Watching this a second time was great because I picked up on clues that I missed the first time around.

Kevin Bacon heads up this film, and as always, he is great in it. He uses his decades of acting experience and natural charm for perfect effect here. As I mentioned above, Bacon was in the original Friday the 13th, so, as a fan I was giddy to see him return to a deadly summer camp. Other veteran actors include Anna Chlumsky (My Girl, Inventing Anna) as well as the always wonderful Carrie Preston (Claws, True Blood). As fantastic as the older performers are, it’s the younger cast that truly steal the show. While every single actor is worthy of highlighting at length, I wanted to spotlight Theo Germaine who acts as our main protagonist. Germaine plays a gender-fluid trans person, and this matches with their own identity. They give a natural and complex performance that showcases their wide-ranging skills as an actor.

They/Them is far from perfect, and I think there are elements that feel underwritten which I can’t get into without getting into any major plot-points. Without getting into any spoilers, I’ll just say that the finale may sharply divide some people. I talked to a friend and fellow critic who is a part of the LGBTQ community who felt things wrapped up too-safe. While I think that is very valid, personally I like how things subverted my expectations whilst also staying true to certain characters.

In a larger context, while the movie is not perfect, damned if I wasn’t entertained. I love how Logan was able to perfectly make a loving summer camp slasher homage whilst also bringing it into a more inclusive space. I love the fact that the movie handles the subject matter respectfully, yet it never forgets this is a fun body-count movie at the end of the day.

So, much respect to the filmmakers for giving this gender-nonconforming horror fan a movie they’ve wanted for a long time. Shocking and tense, They/Them is a bloody brilliant love letter to old-school slashers.

They/Them will be available to stream on Peacock beginning August 5, 2022. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtQk6sANmKs]