Unlike the normally tried and true “you get what you give” adage, the fewer expectations imposed on Tim Story’s hugely anticipated Black horror flick The Blackening the more likely audiences will find the film an enjoyable experience.
The ambitious title has the potential to mislead prospective audiences. The Blackening could coax them into assuming that they will be scared out of their socks and shoes by way of a social critique that exposes systemic racism and implicit bias as the ultimate lethal monster with antics to put Freddie Kruger and Michael Myers to shame. This ain’t that.
The previews suggest the slapstick and satire of the Wayans’ Scary Movie franchise. Not so much. Without the thinking man’s horror of Jordan Peele, the downright silliness of the Wayans or at least the outlandish antics of a beloved character like Madea in Boo – or any major household names for that matter – some might assume “The Blackening” is not worth the bother. Not so fast.
The downright ingenious “we can’t all die first” tagline nails the “for us, by us” nature of the film that sees a group of college friends coming together to fend off evil when things go left soon after they arrive at a remote cabin for their ten-year reunion. Anyone without at least a conversational understanding of Black culture will get lost watching The Blackening – which brilliantly selected Juneteenth weekend for its theatrical release.
Story, who also serves as a producer for the film, took a page from Tyler Perry’s playbook of drilling down on what will resonate with the viewer motivated to attend the movies to see a big screen full of people that look like them for a change – and that they can relate or connect with. Actually, Story has his own resume of such films (and their successful sequels) that include Barbershop, Ride Along and Think Like A Man. But where The Blackening is more “Perry-esque” in that it prioritizes the anticipated desires of the viewer over every other cinematic element.
He pays a price for the decision in the film’s predictable storyline, cadence and the caricatures that some of the ensemble devolve into in the name of good, scary fun. But the intended audience will appreciate the antics.
The film stars Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Wells, Jay Pharoah and Yvonne Orji. While at first glance there doesn’t appear to be much star power, within the cast are some pretty impressive resume credits – including “Empire,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Insecure.”
Comedian and “The Blackening” co-writer Dewayne Perkins was a standout amongst the cast of solid performers as was Melvin Gregg, whose talent allowed him to transition from internet sensation to mainstream actor. Fowler – best known to many for his role as Eddie Murphy’s on-screen son Lavelle Junson-Joffer in Coming 2 America – and his overdone portrayal of Clifton was a liability among the otherwise well meshed chemistry of the cast.
With respect to the writing, The Blackening could have used a stronger hand in providing a hard stop from one punchline and seamless transition into the next joke as well as a more cleverly composed horror story that captivates audiences from beginning to end. There are plenty of hiccups within the film that keep it from realizing its potential. However, even if the viewer doesn’t get what they desire from the film itself, the general audience reaction will leave hardly anything to be desired with respect to overall entertainment.
It is far from a perfect film, but there is something to The Blackening. Perhaps – true to Story’s form – the film could be a set up for an even stronger sequel.
The Blackening opened in theaters nationwide on Friday, June 16. The film is rated R with a run time of 96 minutes.
