Reviews
‘Thanksgiving’ (2023) Review: Eli Roth’s Gory Slasher Triumph
But when Roth has the sauce, he has it, and this movie is drowning in pure gravy. If you were waiting for a top-tier slasher packed with pitch-black humor and crimson blood everywhere, you’ll be pretty happy. If you were waiting for another one of those rare, legitimately great holiday horror films, you’ll be ecstatic. But regardless of what you’re waiting for, you should absolutely head to theatres to see Thanksgiving.
In a year with one of the grimiest Saw films yet, a blood-flooding entry in the Evil Dead franchise, and the notoriously nasty sleeper hit When Evil Lurks, you would think horror fans were full on all the brutal, mean-spirited kills they could get. But Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving is some of the best seconds, thirds, and even fourths we could have gotten in a landmark year for horror like 2023. It may have taken 16 years and some change to see a fictional trailer realized into a feature-length film, but the long cook time was worth it for the absolutely rich modern-day grindhouse feature that we got.
An Old Trailer Brought to Life
If you’re confused about what that last sentence meant, in 2007, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino made Grindhouse, a double feature of two throwback movies that evoked the old exploitation fare: Planet Terror and Death Proof. In the film were several fake trailers for exploitation movies that were never meant to be made, including one for a film called Thanksgiving, about a pilgrim-masked killer slashing through the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and leaving no leftovers (which is all the plot summary you need to understand this review). A few of these trailers were so well received they became real films, like Machete and personal favorite Hobo With A Shotgun, and Thanksgiving was set to become one of them too.
Despite the “Splat Pack” alum beginning a script in 2010, Thanksgiving was sidetracked by Roth’s other projects. And while it’s easy to say now that it should have come out sooner, I’m glad it came out when it did. Thanksgiving is rivaled only by Terrifier 2 as a snapshot of the great modern-day grindhouse revival that’s starting to warm up in American cinema as we get deeper into the 2020s. An original slasher with a simple plot and people being chopped to bloody bits is like a slice of warm pecan pie to horror fans; it’s comforting, it’s gooey, and it can get messy.
Eli Roth Brings Us a New Horror Classic
Roth nails the exploitation feel promised by the trailer, though, as anyone who has seen the promotional material will know, has abandoned the 70’s sepia aesthetic in favor of crisp digital cameras. Thanksgiving’s more familiar tones come from the original My Bloody Valentine most prominently, with colder undertones of 90’s slashers popularized by Kevin Williamson’s work on Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, and it works well in calling back to them.
Roth paints that classic picture of a quaint small town with residents who are rotten to the core. There are sappy love triangles, greedy business people, obnoxious homecoming heroes, and deadbeat super seniors, all waiting to be run through by a vengeful killer like a turkey getting stuck with a meat thermometer. The citizens of Plymouth this time around are about as obnoxious as most of Roth’s characters; their idiocy is played up for humor that is not quite whip-smart, but still manages to be witty often enough to catch you off guard with plenty of great jokes.
Despite having character actor heavyweights like Gina Gershon and Rick Hoffman present, the onus of the entertainment provided comes from the younger cast. Nell Verlaque’s Jessica is a solid final girl surrounded by some very funny friends; Tomaso Sanelli was born to play the role of comedically evil jock Evan, a quarterback obsessed with going viral & prone to dragging his friends into trouble. And despite the love triangle having Verlaque’s Jessica at the center of it, the best moments involving that B-plot come from Milo Manheim’s Ryan and Jalen Thomas Brook’s Bobby, whose interactions where they constantly go tit-for-tat and bicker for romantic attention are incredibly funny. It really does seem like everyone had fun with the material they were given because the film gets laughs effortlessly.
Will The Carver Find His Audience?
But let’s talk about our butchering pilgrim, The Carver. He is every bit as evil as he seemed in his first appearance (sans that one bit of coitus with the cooked turkey, sorry if you were excited about that). Cutting a path through town as he looks for revenge, he serves Roth’s blood-soaked vision on a silver platter. The Carver would find a cozy home as Mortal Kombat 1 DLC character with the grotesque ways he takes out some of his targets, effortlessly cleaving through people and racking up not only a body count but several very memorable kills in the process.
Eli Roth’s commitment to creating a mean-spirited mise en scene is still unrivaled, with the nastier kills showing that undeniable finesse. Roth’s strong suit even in his less impressive films has always been setting up victims and teeing them off with the rawest deaths, which, when at his best, make you feel like you just got splattered in the face with their blood. And Roth is undoubtedly at his best in this film; one kill, in particular, got nearly everyone in the theatre to synchronize and let out one harmonious “Oh s**t!” like the world’s first swearing-only boys’ choir.
A Mostly Great Movie Let Down By a Less Than Stellar Soundtrack
That said, some aspects of Thanksgiving’s cinematography are more cold mashed potatoes than sweet cranberry sauce. The music is far and away from being the best I’ve heard this year, which is ironic since a lot of the worse-off exploitation films of the 70s did coast by having decent soundtracks. Most audience members will be too preoccupied wincing at where The Carver’s axe (and pitchfork, and hammer) lands to notice this, though. And I can’t lie, I didn’t notice it until later either.
When it comes to the story, the twist of who the killer is falls apart after one particular detail in the film, which is something Roth and company must have noticed since they included a throwaway line meant to dissuade audience members from guessing The Carver’s very clear identity. Chances are you will figure it out early on, so don’t sweat it, and try not to feel too insulted when they do that thing flashing back to the very obvious red herring lines throughout the film.
Why Thanksgiving Is a Must-See for Horror Fans
Roth’s work has always been a mixed bag for me. But when Roth has the sauce, he has it, and this movie is drowning in pure gravy. If you were waiting for a top-tier slasher packed with pitch-black humor and crimson blood everywhere, you’ll be pretty happy. If you were waiting for another one of those rare, legitimately great holiday horror films, you’ll be ecstatic. But regardless of what you’re waiting for, you should absolutely head to theatres to see Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving releases, exclusively in theatres, this Friday, November 17th!
It’s very interesting when critics cover Part # of a franchise without having seen the previous entries. I’ve personally seen critics who flat-out say that Part 2 or 3 doesn’t make sense without having seen the previous film. And therein lies the problem: film critics who refuse to admit they haven’t seen EVERYTHING. But does the hard work rely solely on the film critic (or the general viewer)? Should a sequel (or third in a trilogy) drop in heavy context clues for someone who is just now tuning in? I think the answer falls somewhere between those points. Of the many reasons, that is one of the main reasons I was able to enjoy The Barn Part III so much. Let’s dig into it.
Some time ago, Pastor Josh Harper (Courtney Gains) assumed he had rid the world of evil. He was dead wrong. Well, hopefully just wrong. His nephew Kyle (Tristan Olsen) and friend Megan (Amanda Byrne) accidentally re-unleash the evil; Josh must attempt to vanquish it. Again. There’s just one big problem…the Fall Festival is going on, and damn near the entire town will be in attendance. What can go wrong?
Can You Review PT. 3 Without Seeing PTS. 1&2?
Before we really get into it, I think we should jump back to the point I was making in the intro. I have seen tons of posts, screenshots, and scenes from The Barn franchise over the years. For some reason, I’ve never gotten around to seeing the films. So there was a sort of internal struggle when deciding whether or not to cover The Barn Part III. Would I watch it just for fun? What if I didn’t like it? Sure, I could review the film on its own merits, disregarding moments that don’t make sense to a first-time viewer. But that felt disingenuous. After writing a weighty pros and cons list, I figured, what the hell. Let’s give it a watch! It turns out that was the right decision.
Co-writers Justin M. Seamen and Zane Hershberger do an excellent job of balancing fan service and, surprisingly, first-time viewers. There are definitely moments where I felt a bit lost, though I was able to put the pieces together based on context clues after sitting with the film for a few hours. By the time the credits rolled, I felt like I saw enough (as a first time viewing of the franchise) to understand how we got to this point in the franchise. Moreover, it made me more motivated than ever to go back and watch the first two films. If The Barn Part III is this gory, then I can only assume there’s a similar level of gore to the first two.
Strong Script, Stronger Kills
Hershberger and Seamen tell a tale that’s not overwhelmingly original; evil is raised and must be stopped by the good people. It’s a race against the clock, fast-paced creature feature/slasher. It’s hard to really reinvent the wheel there. And somehow, Herhshberger and Seamen manage to make you feel like you haven’t really seen anything like it before. Even during moments of slightly cheesy dialogue, the script’s tone stays beyond consistent that it just all feels right. To me, that feels very rare in this subgenre of film. Rather than being nothing but conduits for buckets of blood, the characters in The Barn Part III exist within their story purpose while still feeling fully fleshed out.
Much of The Barn Part III’s enjoyment comes from the delightful performances of the film’s lead cast. Courtney Gains takes the reins from Will Stout as Josh Harper, and Gains is wonderfully charming. Much of his screen time is shared with Night of the Comet’s Kelli Maroney, who is still an absolute blast to watch on the screen. But it’s one of The Barn Part III’s co-leads, Amanda Byrne, who steals the show. It’s hard to believe this film is Byrne’s debut feature acting role. She really gives it her all, and you can feel it through the screen.
The Barn Part III Is a Practical Effect Gorefest
Enough edging. Let’s get into the actual meat and potatoes of The Barn Part III: the kills. Simply put, Justin M. Seamen and Zane Hershberger struck gold. I’ve seen way too many slasher films/creature features, so this isn’t hyperbolic…The Barn Part III has some of the most insane, captivating, and bloody kills I’ve seen. Especially for an indie film. Whatever the budget was, the film looks like it was more expensive than that.
I have a feeling that there is a heavy crossover between fans of this franchise and Joe Bob Briggs, so let me put it to you this way. The Barn Part III has it all: bisections, dissections, full-body degloving, mini killer pumpkins, pitchfork-fu, shotgun-fu, vine-fu…and that’s just scratching the surface. Besides transporting me to a time and place that I hold dear to my heart, the late 90s and early aughts, this film just checked every single box for me. I can only hope the first two do the same.
The Barn Part III is a violent, practical effects-filled rollercoaster that doesn’t let off the brakes from the jump. To me, this feels like the proper send-off to a franchise I’m new to, and it’s giving me severe FOMO. Full of insane kills and a charming main cast, The Barn Part III is neck and neck for best of the fest for me. Do yourself a favor, gas up your tractor and get to The Barn as soon as possible.
Among the straight up schlock horror movies of 2026, Onslaught tactical breaches in and holds the perimeter as the top dog. Despite being hailed by fans and cast alike as a spiritual successor to Wingard’s 2014 cult classic The Guest, the similarities are skin deep. This low-budget action horror film feels much sleazier, goofier, and more melodramatic than anything that feature had to offer. But if you like to drink the B-movie bottom shelf liquors of the cinema world, Onslaught has that taste you’re going to love getting genre drunk on.
What Is Onslaught (2026) About?
Out in the New Mexico desert, an abandoned military base now houses even darker secrets. Inside a government contractor black site, the sinister Nazi mad scientist Dr. Hans Kammler (Dan Stevens) works to perfect a trio of heartless, mindless, and soulless soldiers. They feel no pain and take no prisoners, and that’s how Kammler likes them.
When the project inevitably breaches containment, as all mad science experiments are wont to do, a small trailer park called the Windy Oasis ends up on their southbound warpath. The on-site manager for the park, a traumatized veteran named Celeste (Adria Arjona), is soon forced to defend her young daughter and surviving neighbors from the ruthless revenants.
If You’re Expecting Something Serious, Expect Less
Dan Stevens’ returning collaboration with Wingard and writer Simon Barrett is basically the full extent of what this movie shares with The Guest. Outside of the deranged super-soldier premise, of course. His first appearance on screen immediately proves that; Stevens comes in hot wearing some of the messiest fake old man hair and makeup of all time, before crawling on all fours like a dog to indulge in his heel fetish with his domineering wife (played in a small supporting role by Rebecca Hall).
It’s a flashing neon sign from the outset that the film is taking itself only somewhat seriously. And if you approach it with the utmost seriousness, you’re probably going to have a bad time.
Onslaught’s Nihilistic & Stylistic Composition Doesn’t Have Time for Contemplation
Despite its premise being about literally conscienceless jackbooted thugs killing the civilian population of the country they’re supposed to be defending, not much thematically comes of it. Onslaught is oddly flat, bordering on one dimensional, in trying to make any sort of thoughtful dialogue or commentary about our current or even past state of affairs as a nation.
The film is frontloaded with as much as you’re going to get out of it: an opening credit sequence that is the anti-government, anti-military equivalent of those overstimulating “Little Dark Age” edits that loser right-wing groypers love. It speedruns the American government’s brutality throughout the past 75 years and juxtaposes it with the Third Reich over the course of a roughly 3-minute song. Sadly, we need the rest of the runtime for gratuitous action involving bullets, boobs, and chainsaw blades. It just can’t be helped.
The movie doesn’t particularly have time for good dialogue, strong character development, or flashy sets either. Onslaught is simple and honest in its approach; it’s the kind of nasty, mean-spirited, action grime that even Cannon Films would have seen as a bit much to produce back in the day. It takes place in a handful of locations, with as few extras as possible, and a lot of explosive squibs and gory kills to make up for its flawed performances. It’s got time to bleed, sure, but no time to bleed deeper meaning or substance.
Wingard’s Toy Box Is Chock Full of Carpenter Inspiration and Retro Vibes
One must imagine Wingard happy playing in this realm. The film is certainly a success on his part in terms of bringing those retro vibes and simplistic storytelling beats to the present day. It really does feel like a bloody, small budget video store pick that snuck its way onto the shelf of a Blockbuster sometime in the ‘90s, even if its modern photography betrays that big clamshell case energy.
Surgically implanted into the film are visuals and musical stylings whose bloodlines trace plainly to Carpenter’s filmography; Assault on Precinct 13, Vampires, and The Fog are the loudest, though certainly not the only parties present. How well those strains of genuine brilliance mesh with the cheaper sensibilities of the film is certainly in question. At its best, it has shots and scenes genuinely evocative of the greatest films of the era Wingard and Barrett are conjuring. At its worst, it’s basically screaming “we shot too much footage of these soldiers mogging and aura farming to not put it in the film”, leaving things clunky to transition and sometimes looking silly.
Onslaught Is a Messy Little Midnight Movie in the Making
Then again, silly is the best thing this could be. Maybe I just give it too much grace for the fun I had with it. Onslaught might be guilty of a few cinema war crimes, not the least of which is a truly grating performance from its comedic support character. But it’s never boring, and it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome. Beloved midnight movie with mass appeal in the making? Perhaps a bit unpolished and messy for that status. But an instant classic among those who love seedy action movies? Much more likely.
