Few films are as difficult to create as a good horror–comedy. Too often, creators struggle to find a balance between these genres, either playing solely into one while neglecting the other or mishandling this fusion so gravely that watchers leave the theater neither scared nor laughing. It’s already difficult to make a truly great horror-comedy, and it would be even harder to try and inject this setup with thoughtful meta commentary on the horror genre — which is what makes Tim Story’s The Blackening so exceptional.
Following a group of friends whose Juneteenth weekend getaway turns into a twisted game of survival, this comically gory feature is grounded in how this genre has long mistreated its Black characters. From scary movies’ tendency to always give these roles an early death (the film’s tagline is literally “We can’t all die first”) to a historical absence of Black horror protagonists, The Blackening’s in-depth awareness of this issue creates the perfect platform for the unnerving story being told. It’s a heartfelt knowledge that meta horror-comedies too often lack, with the creative team having such a clear love for this troubled genre that it elevates the film from a simple takedown into a re-imagining of what scary movies can be today.
‘The Blackening’ Combines Gore With Goof
While The Blackening’s main cast prove to be some of the smartest characters in horror, they begin the film by making one of the biggest mistakes you can in a scary movie: booking a weekend away at a spooky house in the woods. But even before the killers show up, there’s tension; from the petty Dewayne’s (Dewayne Perkins) need to constantly call out his friends to group leader Lisa (Antoinette Robertson) failing to mention her ex-boyfriend would be on the trip, viewers are already nervous about how this group will fare as they begin their night of drug-fueled fun. And this worry is legitimate, as The Blackening uses subtle acting choices and relatable moments to make audiences empathize with the people onscreen…making it all the more horrific when they’re locked inside with a racist board game and a group of masked assassins. What follows is a laughable spin on a premise horror fans know well, filled with shocking scares and funny critiques, but it’s not just these aspects that elevate The Blackening — it’s the film’s heart.
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Each death is more berserk and satisfying than the last.
Meta horror-comedies are a subgenre unto themselves at this point, with films like Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and Scary Movie making viewers laugh at parodies of common tropes while startling them with huge shows of gore. But these projects are too often so focused on critiques that they fail to inject their stories with any meaningful resonance. Enter The Blackening, a film that not only offers a cast with amazing chemistry and an endless supply of creepily comical scenes, but a clear love for horror. It calls out how the medium has wronged Black characters and audiences, yes, but instead of just labeling the genre as bad, it re-imagines how it could improve going forward. The Blackening skillfully criticizes blatant problems (in hilarious ways) while illustrating how scary movies can finally give their Black characters the storylines and respect they deserve. This is all carried through by an earnestness that permeates the film, one that not only contributes to each joke and scare landing as effectively as they do, but that actually draws viewers into the often goofy story being told. Because this movie realizes that the best meta movies aren’t fueled by hate for a genre, but rather a love for it.
‘The Blackening’ Innovates What Horror-Comedies Can Be
Even for all the passion The Blackening’s cast and crew clearly had for this project, that doesn’t mean audiences should go in expecting some think piece. No, from shockingly gory fight scenes to hilarious moments of banter, the film, on a purely superficial level, is already one of the best horror-comedies this niche subgenre has ever seen — but it’s a love for horror that fuels these vital elements. The Blackening is a surprisingly resonant film, with the genuine character growth on display and the way this narrative draws audiences in to a thoroughly meta story that has a wealth to say about various important topics. And by crafting a narrative as funnily engrossing as this, it helps viewers to walk away with valuable knowledge about what horror can be today — along with some of the funniest, freakiest scenes they’ve ever seen!