Coming this week to Irish cinemas is The Blackening. Directed by Tim Story, this film sees a group of friends reunite during JuneTeenth, where a mysterious killer sets upon them. How do they survive? By playing the most racist game possible.
Tim Story has a storied past. He’s made the first two Fantastic Four films, the Ride Along films and the abomination that was 2021’s Tom & Jerry. All these films are of varying levels of mediocrity with Tom & Jerry being the worst, in my opinion. So, how does The Blackening size up to the rest of Story’s work? Honestly, it’s pretty fun.
It mainly comes down to the characters. They’re all interesting, charming and funny, in their own ways. There is commentary going on here, not just involving people of colour, but also topics about genders as well as homosexuality and they all come together to give this story some excellent jokes. There’s a lot of setup that gets a well-executed payoff.
Easily the best part of the film is the chemistry within the group of friends. This is thanks to the cast; Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson and Sinqua Walls. Their back and forth felt genuine and sold the friendship at the centre of this film. A particular highlight for me was Dewayne Perkins’ character Dewayne. He’s funny, charming and has a brilliant joke at the climax of the film.
There is also a character played by Diedrich Bader, who is a genuine scene-stealer whenever he pops up on the screen. It’s all these little elements that add up to the enjoyment of The Blackening.
If there are any issues with the film, it’s that it is predictable. About a third of the way through the film I had my suspicions about what was going on. Also, the horror aspect of the film isn’t particularly good. The film is more focused on comedy and for me, it was the reason I enjoyed the film so much. The commentary on people of colour in horror and pop culture, in general, is on point in this. However, the actual horror element within this film isn’t interesting. I will say though, when the climax hit, I was impressed.
The Blackening is a messy, but fun time at the cinema. I highly recommend it to audiences looking for a good time.
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