User Reviews

I have a soft spot for these kinds of horror comedies. Last year it was "Bodies Bodies," a hilarious takedown of performative ally-ship disguised as a slasher film. "The Blackening" gives us an all-black cast, and has a similar social commentary vibe. In this one, the characters have to decide throughout the movie which one of them isn't "black" enough, which gives the movie a chance to explore the topic of racial identity. But it's never heavy handed, and the movie stays mostly tongue in cheek. I never had to wait too long for an image or a line that would make me chuckle.

And I want the cabin featured in this movie. It's so nice that I'll even take it with the psycho killer included.

Grade: A-

If you're a die hard, hard core horror fan, you probably won't like this.

If you're a casual, horror/comedy fan, this is right up your alley.

Make no mistake: this is a horror/comedy. There are numerous, over-the-top, smack-in-you-in-the-face tropes. Some of the more race-related ones will even make some viewers uncomfortable. All of that is fine, because - together - it all works.

Simply put: this film is about a bunch of black people (yes, that's relevant!) playing a deadly game. Correction: a deadly RACIST game. And yes, that's relevant, too. Some die, some fight back, some live...it goes around and around, with little twists and turns (some obvious, others not).

Overall, it's a fun movie. There was just enough gore to make me happy and just enough comedy to make me laugh.

I'd love to see more films like this.

I went into The Blackening without watching any trailers. In a time where comedy movies seem to be going extinct, I instantly had interest in this new horror-comedy. And as someone who grew up on Fresh Prince and Martin, I miss black-themed comedies.

The Blackening definitely scratches that itch. Early on I wasn't laughing much. But the farther we get into the movie and story, the more I was laughing. I cracked up numerous times at some really funny jokes. And the entire premise and story is amusing.

My one criticism would be that it's a little lacking on the horror side. It's more of a comedy about horror than a horror-comedy. I didn't really mind that, but I could have enjoyed it even more if there were stronger horror elements.

I had a great time with this movie and will definitely watch it again. And while comedy movies are still so rare, I'm pretty happy to have two in 2023 that I really enjoyed, along with House Party from earlier this year.

(1 viewing, early access fan screening 6/14/2023)

"The Blackening" is a very surprising movie that I wasn't expecting to like as much as I did. With funny jokes and good pacing, it was a fun time.

Starting with the good, I thought all the acting was very good. Everyone gave personality to their characters. The script was hilarious. I was laughing multiple times throughout the movie and I felt the commentary was handled very well. The satirical nature the film provides I thought was really clever and if you don't get it then this movie isn't for you, but that also doesn't make the movie bad. The pacing was also pretty good, the movie never felt like it dragged and I was enjoying myself. And finally there was a lot of twists and turns that I wasn't expecting and it really caught me off guard. Overall it was a really fun reveal.

Now this isn't a perfect movie and while I think the comedy is great, the horror I felt was lacking a bit. I was never bored when the horror started, but it was very standard stuff. The movie could've used some more blood and more stakes. And finally the body count is low.

Overall despite a somewhat standard slasher narrative, it's saved but a great comedy narrative filled with good acting, fast pacing, and some good twists.

Wasn't amazing but wasn't bad. I don't tend to watch horror comedies but this one was pretty good with a few good laughs in there.

A lot of the humour was racist so only for those who have a good sense of humour and won't get offended easily.

The story is that there's a group of black people who go for a weekend trip away to a house in the middle of the woods. They find a game room in which there's a board game called "The Blackening" and they have to play and answer the trivia questions otherwise they get hunted down by a masked killer.

Overall, I rate it a 7/10 and I do recommend people to watch it.

Don't mind the 1-star and adjacent reviews-clearly these movie goers either cannot appreciate Black comedy or was expecting some Stephen King-type horror plot. You get what you get with this film: some recognizable stars, plenty of good laughs, enough suspense to keep you going.

By all means, there are plenty of areas where the movie could've improved. While I don't think the horror elements need to be too clearly defined for a comedy, I would've appreciated more scary moments without the "cheese" (ie typical slasher film moments that felt cliché). I also think more character development wouldn't hurt. I loved the characters themselves but no one's arc was nearly developed enough.

All this is to say--see the movie for what it is: a dare to turn the narrative of what it means to feature black characters in horror films. It's meant to be edgy with a whiff of political. And if you can't accept that, then this movie isn't for you.

This movie was boring.

I couldn't relate to any characters.

The scenes were boring after the first 20 min, the dialog just started getting annoying. It wasn't a parody as promised. The movie tried to get better and then it didn't .

Maybe this movie was meant to watch when you're high because I didn't get it... Just because it black in the title doesn't mean you have to go run out and support it... I mean... It just wasn't good or entertaining in any way.

As far as the lead actress is concerned her hair looked awful and I just didn't get what they were going for with her look. It was distracting to me.

The Blackening is a good time; it's a fun, well paced, well written (for the most part) comedy that had a lot of genuine laugh-out-loud moments for me. It begins extremely well, introducing us a very likeable and memorable cast of characters, even if they do feel a bit trope-y at times.

The movie looks great and I actually loved the set design quite a bit. The cabin that the characters inhabit is a great setting with kooky details that immediately stuck out to me. And the performances, generally, are really good. The actors have a lot of chemistry and while no one in particular stuck out to me, you can tell this was a fun set and there's an energy with these actors that conveys a realistic friend group.

So...why the 6? Well, The Blackening really succeeds as a comedy, but fails quite miserably as a HORROR comedy. I hate it when films have no stakes; when every character seems completely able to get through any situation and the antagonists seem like the underdogs. That's how a lot of this movie felt to me. While you can look at it as a subversion of horror itself, it didn't land for me. Yes, it's funny, but it stops being thrilling.

I think there was a purposeful attempt to "empower" the black characters in this movie and have most of them survive. While I get where that's coming from, it doesn't do much for me to see characters so obviously MORE capable than the masked killer chasing them quipping constantly. You can have a horror comedy where, you know, not everyone makes it (see Shaun of the Dead, Tucker & Dale, Hell of a Summer). Hell, even Scary Movie gave us hilarious death sequences.

The dialog in this film can be quite divisive and certainly not everyone's cup of tea. I'd describe some of it as "millennial, critical race theory" stuff and that might put some people off. It's not necessarily the ideas themselves, but the way they're communicated that felt a bit cringe inducing to me. But, I also recognize for a particular audience, that might not be the case.

Overall, this is a fun movie. I wish it emphasized the horror elements more, so to be honest, I wouldn't really recommend it for a Halloween watch, but it is a good time.

With a concept so good you can't believe it hasn't already been done, 'The Blackening (2023)' pastiches the horror genre from the perspective of its black characters and the black audiences who so often have to watch the people that look like them die first. It's a comedy-horror that leans further towards the former but is still competent at the latter and has a really strong grip on the tropes it so effectively satirises. The first act is perhaps a little sloppy, spending time setting up its various dynamics but lacking any real suspense (after its opening sequence) and feeling a bit light on the laughs, too. However, though it takes a little while to come together, it really lifts off once its characters become aware of the danger they're in. At a certain point, you realise that you're having an absolute blast and have been for quite a while. It's generally really funny and the humour always feels authentic to the characters, meaning that even the silliest and most obviously 'written' jokes feel totally at home even in the narrative's deadly scenario. It's a well-written, witty experience that uses its self-aware nature to make some keen observations about its genre and black culture in general (and, of course, the ways in which they intersect). It's fairly light, but it does have some tense sequences and its cast are all charming enough that you don't want to see any of them leave the picture early. Although its slightly underwhelming ending is very predictable, the flick subverts expectation on occasion and features a few satisfying surprises. It's a really fun time, especially once it gets properly going. It isn't as good as its most obvious inspiration, 'Scream (1996)', but it very much feels in the same spirit as that seminal slasher (even if it isn't anywhere near as compelling when it comes to its slashing). It's a really enjoyable film that has its finger on the pulse and should have you chuckling throughout.

In this story, a few black friends go on a Juneteenth vacation (an inspiration for the Friday, June 16, 2023 release date) in a remote cabin (where they party as an activity). Only problem: They have to play a game (same name as that of this movie, hence the title) with pleanty of questions about African American culture in order to live!

Full of occasional nasty scares, socializing, test of strength, overnight respite, and tickling (and some racial goofs), this is a rollar coster of a film narrative-wise that I have enjoyed watching for the most part I would say.

Another thing I disliked about the movie was a tad bit short runtime: 97 minutes.

Still, this is coming from an African American man who intends to revisit this at one time or another!

Prior viewing dates: July 8th, and 10th-13th.

My grade: B-

The Blackening is about a group of black friends camping out in a cabin in the woods. They all have fun in the cabin until they endure a dreadful night. They stumble across a board game called The Blackening. If they do not play it, they are being chased to death. They have to get all the questions right in order to survive. Either play The Blackening or die trying.

The first impression of the movie is that it had some good jokes that I could not resist to laugh. Although, there were some jokes that I did not really get because I did not understand all the references. It has a good story of a racist board game being run by a serial killer trying to kill all black people with stereotypes. A con for me is that the movie drags a bit. However, I still liked the movie because of its story and the characters. The Blackening is good with its acting, comedy, and the story. I would recommend to watch it in theaters for a good comedy-horror watch.

So I watched The Blackening's preview online and it looked really fun so I decided to give it a try. To it's credit it is actually kind of fun and funny. While there are some scary moments here, I wish they had taken a little extra time to further develop those scary moments as they kind of take a backseat to the humour/race aspects of the story rather than getting equal time. That's unfortunate as I think the script writers were a bit heavy handed on the race element and those messages I feel could have been better served and a lot more effective if given a slightly more deft touch, as opposed to the obvious/hit you over the head approach. I enjoyed most of the performances with the exception of the Clifton character. I'm sure he is a very talented actor (I've not seen him in anything else) but this was not the part for him. The Blackening has some serious shortcomings but despite all of that it was still kind of fun and maybe worth checking out if you're curious.

The trailer made this look like Scary Movie: Black People Edition. I thought the satire was gonna be tight like Chappelle's Show and The Boondocks. But what I got was corny jokes and mid writing. The opening is strong but then drops like a rock.

The whole movies feels unpolished. Like the script is a first draft. Sometimes it's okay, sometimes it's bad. A lot of dragging. Like "just get to the point" kinda dragging. And it has no idea how to satirize what it's satirizing. Like did the writers only watch one horror movie?

The trailer is the most entertainment you'll get from this. Hell, go watch that "Ray Ray" scene from "A Haunted House". That 3 minute scene is 10x better than this crap.

The Blackening begins like a cross between Scream and Saw, with a couple getting offed after being made to "play a game". Said game being an offensively racist board game that gives the movie it's title.

After this set up we are introduced to the various characters of the film who are getting together to mark the anniversary of finishing college. The relationships between the group are more complicated than you usually encounter in a slasher film and their dynamics helps flesh out the story.

Said story consists of the group playing the game and fighting off slashers. This, it turns out, is a lot easier when you make logical decisions rather than indulge in the clueless floundering you usually see in movies with this set up. The protagonists actually being pro active is one of the many meta black culture jokes running through the film. Other examples include the group being asked to name a horror film where the black character survives and told to decide which of them is the blackest (so the killer gets them next).

The Blackening isn't lowest common denominator humour like the Scary Movie franchise nor is an exploration of race like a Jordan Peele film. It's more a standard genre flick viewed through a black culture lens and it's pretty solidly entertaining. It doesn't attempt any real scares (although there is some genuine tension) but while it isn't laugh out loud funny from start to finish there are more than enough laughs to keep things ticking along.

Another good entry in a year that is turning out to have some good comedy chops.

7 creepy clerks put of 10 backwater shops.

Black friends are gathering to celebrate Juneteenth in a cabin in the woods. Two arrive early and find a board game called "The Blackening". They lose and one is quickly killed while the other is taken prisoner. The rest of the group arrive the next day. They are forced to play the game.

I don't want to be insensitive, but I'm probably not getting quite a bit of this. I'm not really taken with any of the trope characters. It's not really working for me as a horror. This movie works better as a comedy especially with the board game. I laughed out loud with the Friends question. This is not targeted at me, but I still had some fun with it.

"The Blackening" may not exactly reinvent the wheel of the horror-comedy hybrid genre, but it's a very entertaining and clever film that deconstructs racist stereotypes commonly found in the horror genre, as well as representation of Black people within the genre. The film centers around a group of friends getting together to celebrate Juneteenth, until they realize that a killer with a deadly game is targeting them. While that concept sounds generic, the film's writing fortunately is not. The interpersonal dynamics, chemistry, and humor between the characters is genuinely entertaining, and there are some laugh-out-loud belly laughs to complement the scares. The film isn't overtly scary, but that is expected given the comedic tone. Instead, the greater part of the film's entertainment value comes from the humorous and satirical writing. This writing certainly isn't as sharp as, say, a Jordan Peele film or even the better entries in the "Scream" franchise, but it still manages to be thought-provoking while not taking itself very seriously.

At just over an hour and a half, the film is deftly paced, and never feels too long nor too short. The plot twists are clever and engaging, and the effects of these twists are also rooted in camaraderie between the primary characters. While not all of the jokes work and some of the plot developments in the first act are not as engaging as the film thinks they are, this film generally works as an entertaining and incisive thrill ride. 7/10.

It's a try hard that fails miserably. It's starts and you hope it gets better. Then you talk to yourself off and on for the whole 90 minutes wondering if you should get up and leave. You don't. But you should. Then it eventually ends and your like, oh my God, thank you. You slap yourself silly for not leaving but at least you took a 15 minute bathroom break and don't have to go after the movie. Trust me when i say this horribly non informative review is ten times better than the thing you will Watch if you dare to put yourself in misery. Anyone who could possible rank it above a two at best watched it while popping pills.

'The Blackening' is very much a love letter to Black horror fans, but anyone could watch it and have a great time. It's written in such a way that you can take what you want from it. If you have judgements on what you think it is, I'm asking that you reconsider. It's not Scary Movie meets Saw. Nor is it "in your face with messages". Granted, all movies have themes i.e. "messages".

But, bottom line, if you want to laugh until you're sore, and experience some great thrills and twists, don't miss out on The Blackening, and go with some friends. That'll make it all the more fun. If you don't have friends, I'll go with you.

The Blackening is a horror comedy where the comedy part works a helluva lot more than the horror part. It's funny, playful and subverts many stereotypes but it mostly lacks a sense of tension with next to no memorable scares but has the right cast and consistent enough gag rate to make up for that.

Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Dewayne Perkins, X Mayo, Melvin Gregg and Grace Byers are all so good, it's so hard to choose a favourite. Any tension that does exist comes from how likeable this group is and how you are 100% invested in all of their survival.

Tim Story's direction is really good, making sure that 97 minute runtime is used in the most effective fashion with everything progressing at a steady pace and getting enough out of each location and set piece without any of them overstaying their welcome.

LIKES:

Fast Paced -It dives right into the chaos and gets you where you need to go... stupid comedy thrills and the likes.

-The pace just continues to move, pulling little to cram as much fun as it can into the 90 minutes -Once the madness starts, it doesn't stop and those not wanting to think, this movie will give you little to think on with the antics at hand.

Funny At Times -For me, I had several moments that were really funny to me, the delivery and the punch of the moment quite amazing and just rightly delivered.

-Several of the jokes I got, and those references were funniest to me, cracking me up at the dig or jab at the culture.

-Lots of fun at time with a lot of frequent jokes means lot of opportunities to laugh and hopefully be pleased with the jokes

The Game Is An Interesting Concept -The movie sort of has a Jumanji feel with it, only without animals you get sort of death threats -It's used at the start well, adds some comedy, and sets the premise for the fun to begin.

-And the game board feels very insidious, dark, and a bit offensive to match the tone of the movie.

The Mystery Element To It -A thriller like this with a masked killer is always a bit about unmasking the killer and seeing if you can do it before them.

-Blackening has that element and is very fun to try and figure it out, again sprinkled with the comedy that they pride themselves on.

-And there is that mystery to an extent that should be integrated well for most of the group, with the comedy and kills. It's a binding element that works, and there isn't much more to say.

The Setting/Lighting/Visuals -It's all about establishing the mood of being isolated and in trouble, and the movie does this well.

-A fantastic use of shadows without drowning us in the dark, but enough of a comedic feel that again goes with the comedic element of the movie.

-Matching the theme of the game, with the cultural tones, Blackening really establishes much of the mood of this movie. Thus, I love when a movie does this and has a lot of fun with itself in new ways.

DISLIKES:

The Comedy Is Very Aggressive and Specific -You are not going to like this movie if you don't have the flexibility or get the references.

-Blackening's specific humor is brilliant at times, but for the rest, you have to be ready for the in your face style and language that comes with it.

-Cursing is a no brainer and sort of thrown about, while insults paint the screen in a menagerie of innuendos and brutal blows that you might enjoy if in the mood.

-The limited tones get points off for diversity and movie as a whole, but in regards to the category, might be the biggest selling point of the movie.

Misnomer of Horror -I know the trailers made this more like a comedy, and they are not lying.

-Still horror usually means one has to be scared, frightened and perhaps a tad creeped out/horrified by what you see.

-And this movie does little to illicit those things, merely playing on the stage of horror because there is a killer in the mix.

-Thus, looking for a scary movie? This isn't the film to watch.

The Game Gets Dropped Very Quickly -The game aspect that was the selling point and gets the thrills mostly started... gets dropped quickly -It's disappointing to me secondary to the fact that it was a cool medium to do so much with and then it just gets forgotten. Almost an afterthought, almost as if the comedy got in front of the horror concept, -Thus, I would have liked more through it, solving the mystery and adding some spice to the mix, instead of blunting me over the head with jokes.

Very Lacking Of Suspense -The movie with the world thriller as a genre needs to be thrilling, but again it failed me on this aspect -The stakes are relatively low, the elements practically erased, and the comedy only further dilutes any engaging thriller aspect of the movie.

-It led to the movie again being boring and missing the element that I had hoped was hinted at the trailers. Thus, don't get too focused on the killer aspect like I wanted to see.

Stupid End Credit Scenes -End credits scenes are already thin ice for this reviewer, but these moments are a bit of a waste of time.

-Not quite bloopers, it's like scenes cut form the main film and kind of extra additions that did little for me.

-I found it overdone, bloated, and quite unnecessary, but again, want more comedy and jokes, you got it. At least the music works for the most part.

The Plot Easy To Predict: -The plot is about a mystery and surviving the killer, alongside a solution to the ordeal.

-Unfortunately, the solution is easy to decipher, the twists not very twisty, and the fact most of the other elements are buried in comedy does little to make the story engaging.

-Again, the comedy will help alleviate things, but the story is not the most cohesive or engaging plot that these movies sort of need to really soar in my book.

-Not the worst, but not the best either.

The VERDICT:

The Blackening is a film that thrives on comedy and especially to those who get the style, the delivery, and the references and can bathe in the deluge of jokes. It's fast pace leads to maximizing the joke storm, and the character all have this element that works together and helps you pick a favorite piece. A fun setting that fits the theme, the movie is just dumb fun and potentially more so in an intoxicated or influenced mind. The movie is not the most theater worthy experience, but a game night at home, the fact that the horror and thriller parts are minimized pushing the movie towards the home viewing. A predictable story, minimal plot, focus on comedy and stupid antics re all what are big on the agenda and if that is the movie you are dying to see, this movie is for you. For me, factoring in everything, the film gets the score:

Comedy/Horror/Thriller: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

The premise of a cabin in the woods with a murder is a basic one, even with this basic premise the movie was entertaining and funny the whole time. All of the characters were likable and intriguing. The jokes were funny and aligned with each character. The movie carried this distinct feeling of being a bit more realistic due to the flaws of the murder. The murder was not this super over powered villian that cannot be harmed. It was an average person that added a nice touch to the movie. The movie was the perfect amount of time telling a story and not drawing out scenes, each seen had a clear and entertaining point and it did a great job.

The Blackening does a pretty decent balancing act with trying to be a horror movie mixed in with a comedy. The problem is it really wasn't as scary as it could have been. The movie does have a lot to say and does so in comedic and creative ways. I really enjoyed the cast here and thought they had good chemistry. The main Villian/villains here are not that big of a surprise if you are paying attention early on. The movie was directed by Tim Story who has mad some really good films over the year like Barbershop. When I watched this movie a 2nd time I got more laughs out of it. I think as the years go by this movie will be classified as a Cult Classic. The Blackening gets 7 solid stars out of 10.