A Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth in ‘Thanksgiving,’ by Newton director Eli Roth.
By Bob Tremblay/Boston Movie News
Parents taking their children to see “Thanksgiving” thinking it’s a family-friendly holiday movie will be in for a seismic shock. Instead of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” they’ll get what “A Charlie Manson Thanksgiving” would look like.
This film comes from the unhinged mind of Newton’s Eli Roth, who never met a body he couldn’t disassemble with considerable malice aforethought. Based on Roth’s mock trailer for the 2007 film “Grindhouse, “Thanksgiving” is for people who believe in the motto “In gore we trust.” Simply put, if decapitations and impalements bother you, you might want to see another movie. However, you should have a good time if you enjoy gory mayhem executed with a sense of style and humor.
The challenge facing Roth, whose resume includes the “Hostel” films, is dreaming up novel and repulsive ways to kill people. You’ll be pleased to know that the crown prince of carnage doesn’t disappoint.
Fans of “Grey’s Anatomy” may wonder what Patrick Dempsey is doing in this movie. Here, McDreamy plays Sheriff Eric Newton, who tries to solve a series of grisly murders taking place in his hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts (Hamilton, Ontario, serves as the substitute). Fans of Gina Gershon should know she’s here, too, but not for too long.
What sets the wrecking ball rolling is a Black Friday sale at a department store that turns into a horrific stampede where people get trampled to death by crazed shoppers acting like bulls on steroids. Eat your heart out, Pamplona.
Flash forward a year, and another sale is planned, though not without protest. Then, some bad things happen to people who participated in or even watched the stampede. A person dressed in Pilgrim duds and wearing a John Carver mask is protesting in his own unique, albeit vicious way. As everyone knows, Carver was the first governor of Plymouth Colony. Here, he could pass for a silent cousin of V in “V for Vendetta.” You may also see similarities to the “Halloween” and “Scream” films.
As is typically the case in slasher movies, a female character plays the protagonist and one of the killer’s targets. Here, she’s Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque), the archetypal nice girl whose father owns the department store. The teen has a group of friends who become targets, too. In addition to worrying about her friends getting slaughtered, Jessica has relationship issues. One boyfriend, Bobby (Jalen Thomas Brooks), leaves, so she finds another boyfriend, Ryan (Milo Manheim). When Bobby returns, it’s time to collectively say, “Awkward.” Roth and screenwriter Jeff Rendell then let loose the red herrings. Who is the killer? Bobby? Ryan? Jessica’s father? Jessica Simpson? Wait, she’s not in this.
No spoilers here. Anyway, the guessing game takes a backseat to the savagery that gets turned up to volume 11 as our masked psychopath dispatches his victims with all manner of devices. Pass the corn cob skewers, please. And let’s just say you may think twice about going on a trampoline after seeing this film.
Expect Roth to again get hit with torture porn criticism here. Yes, there certainly is torture here, but Roth somehow manages to make it palatable, well, kind of like sour pickles are palatable. He also takes satiric swipes at consumerism and social media when not mangling appendages.
Don’t expect Oscar nods for the acting unless there’s a new category for screaming. A few characters do bleed well. I assume Dempsey and Gershon cashed their paychecks.
While “Thanksgiving” offers nothing new in the horror genre—veterans of these types of films know what will happen—Roth merits a drumstick for upping the ante of antisocial behavior. You just may not ask for seconds.
‘Thanksgiving’
Rating: R for strong bloody horror violence, plenty of naughty words, and a few sexual shenanigans.
Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Milo Manheim, Jalen Thomas Brooks
Director: Eli Roth
Writer: Jeff Rendell
Running time: 106 minutes
Where to watch: In theaters
Grade: B+
Bob Tremblay is the former film critic for the MetroWest Daily News and a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics.
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