While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.
So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!
Amazon’s recent release of the horror comedy Totally Killer reminded me of another film that deserves more recognition: The Final Girls.
The similarities between the two movies are actually quite astonishing. Both feature a slasher killer and incorporate an element of time travel (or something similar), as well as a young girl interacting with her mother at a similar age.
The Final Girls is original, hilarious, and uniquely fitting as both a homage to the genre and an entertaining new experience in its own right.
In many ways, The Final Girls shares the self-awareness of The Cabin in the Woods, using and playing with the tropes of the genre with comedic ease. However, it also carves out its own presence with a fresh and engaging story.
The film follows Max (played by Taissa Farmiga), who tragically loses her mother Amanda (Malin Åkerman) unexpectedly. When Max attends a screening of Camp Bloodbath, a movie her mother starred in, she finds herself transported into the 80s slasher film with her friends, where she must learn to survive alongside her mother.
Director Todd Strauss-Schulson creates a retro, horror movie-fueled world that immerses the audience and makes them feel as though they are trapped alongside the characters. The film manages to strike a balance between silliness and relatability, making The Final Girls a truly enjoyable experience.
The supporting cast, which includes Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, and Nina Dobrev, adds to the film’s strength. Once in the movie, the characters realize they are trapped unless they play out the events of the film, raising the question of who will survive this time around.
The chemistry between Åkerman and Farmiga is wonderful, and their relationship is touching. This, combined with the sharp comedy, is one of the reasons why The Final Girls succeeds. The film manages to blend heart and gore in a captivating way.
The Final Girls is a hidden gem that fits delightfully well into the subgenre of horror-comedy. It features witty dialogue, entertaining gags, and an underlying sense of emotional reverence.
It is one to seek out and let yourself have fun with. Just make sure you see it to the end.
Who doesn’t love a final girl?
Today’s winner:
Plenty of more Haunt-Tober to come!
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 