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Lead Critic for the site, as well as serving as an editor when needed.
The exploitation of horror films — and how they juxtapose their characters and themes throughout — is always massively entertaining. Furthermore, depending on the filmmaker, the audience can be in for a gore fest, or something more subtle and creepy, and the list goes on. Eli Roth is, perhaps, one of the most controversial horror directors working today — he usually spares no expense on anything.
In 2007, in conjunction with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, Roth created a fake trailer also titled Thanksgiving to be screened with the two former directors’ respective films, Death Proof and Planet Terror. All of this material made up Grindhouse – to be screened together. Several of these fake trailers were later made into feature films, and Roth’s Thanksgiving has been given the latest treatment. A viewing of this fake trailer is highly encouraged — but not needed by any means before seeing the full picture.
It was fantastic to see bits from the trailer on full display. One bit from this — had it been in the feature — could have probably given the film an NC-17 rating. That doesn’t take away from the good bits of the film at all. It would have been amazing to see a modern-day NC-17 horror on the big screen, but I digress.
Thanksgiving is chock-full of gore goodness. Roth seems to have created his own sort of magnum opus with this film, and it is bound to be a holiday horror classic come next holiday season. Nearly every piece of the film — except its ending — is crafted to perfection. While Roth co-wrote the story with Jeff Rendell, Rendell handles full scripting duties, and his material is some of the best within the slasher genre of horror.
While the film isn’t necessarily a full homage to slashers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Roth and Rendell do a fantastic job at taking several of those tropes that make them so good — and turning them on their head for their story. The kills are amazing and the gore is surprisingly toned down considering how it could be. It all comes together very nicely — and there are indeed no leftovers.
Very minor spoilers to follow.
The Opening Prelude
Every good slasher needs its villain origin story, and Roth’s John Carver (voiced by Adam MacDonald) has one of the more noteworthy ones. In the prologue, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a local Walmart-esque store, RightMart, is preparing to open for Black Friday, only to a crowd of way too many people with too few security guards. RightMart’s owner, Thomas Wright’s (Rick Hoffman) daughter, Jessica (Nell Verlaque), and her friends decide to attend the chaos — albeit only earlier than the crowd, sneakily entering through a side door.
Upon the crowd noticing, a riot ensues and several people are killed, to the dismay of Patrick Dempsey’s Sheriff Eric Newlon and Mitch Collins (Ty Olsson). Jessica’s boyfriend Bobby (Jalen Thomas Brooks) is also injured in the chaos suffering a broken wrist and the loss of his full ride to college via baseball. One year later, no one is happy about the events, and Thomas Wright is still choosing to keep the store open on Thanksgiving rather than close it. By this point in the film, the themes kind of punch the audience in the face, but not excessively, so it works subtly and nicely.
The Themes of Death & Despair
Nothing really becomes of those deemed responsible — or even Jessica and her friends — but the effects are still felt throughout the community of Plymouth. Thanksgiving gives off a lot of the same vibes that are felt throughout some of those classic slashers, and are unexpectedly welcome. While not a personal favorite among 90’s slashers, I Know What You Did Last Summer, is heavily drawn upon in the more tense scenes of John Carver’s plan, and it feels better executed than what the former film did twenty-six years ago. Much of Thanksgiving‘s success is felt in the most subtle ways you don’t realize until you walk out of the theatre.
Throughout its runtime, Thanksgiving continues to call on other classics like Scream (1996) and Halloween (1978), with one of the film’s themes resonating with these two and other films like My Bloody Valentine (1980) and Carrie (1976), more heavily so. It doesn’t ever try and homage these films, but simply being on the same level sub-textually as these ones; it’s so refreshing and makes the film that much better. John Carver lost a very important person in that RightMart riot, and he will make damn sure everyone pays. After all, revenge does take many forms, but not all are well-intentioned.
Roth and Rendell let the audience know that having money doesn’t entitle you to anything — and it doesn’t — but don’t put on a pilgrim outfit and bake people alive just because you’re pissed off. Greed is a fickle friend too, and it makes people lose their common sense. Still, above all, the killers in these films are usually extremely selfish, but that also juxtaposes with Thanksgiving‘s “good guys” as well. If Jessica and her friends hadn’t gone into RightMart, none of this might have ever happened. Regardless, these things make for a good slasher and should leave the audience satisfied nonetheless.
Technicalities
Milan Chadima returns from Grindhouse to photograph Thanksgiving and he absolutely lets the camera rip here. Once John Carver’s identity is revealed, he captures, what could become, one of the most iconic lines in slasher history, and this specific actor’s delivery is fantastic. Chadima’s cinematography really elevates that scene, and it could become a fan favorite quickly.
Michel Aller and Michele Conroy’s editing, combined with Roth’s directorial duties and the film’s cinematography, really round it out together. Aller & Conroy cut very subtly, but sporadically, and only ever when needed, which also really elevates the kill scenes and money shots. The editing becomes quick and painless, unlike Carver’s insane kills as the film goes on.
Speaking of which, Carver’s kills get more and more crazy, with perhaps the most gnarly coming during the film’s climax. Maximilian McKenzie’s special effects are off the charts as well, and any good slasher makes due on this element, if nothing else, and it works brilliantly here. Nearly every minute detail is executed to the letter here — except the film’s ending.
Questions Are Raised
The ending of this film is great, yet one key detail is made known that should have been left out, quite honestly. There is a throwaway line of a cop reporting to a detective that they could not find a trace of the killer’s body. That screams copout, personally. It’s almost cheap and tosses the whole screenplay into the trashcan. This is a typical trope of the genre though, which happened between David Gordon Green’s 2018 and 2021 Halloween films. For some reason, it just feels unnecessary to include this line in the film’s conclusion. First of all, it leaves breathing room for a sequel to happen, and honestly, that isn’t needed here in this current film at all. It also can come off as unwise and impassive writing, as the writers may or may not have wanted to leave the audience wondering, “Will we see more of John Carver?” I certainly hope not.
Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving honestly blew me away. There is a perfect blend of horror and dark comedy, and Thanksgiving gives slasher fans more hope that the genre will never go away. Cinema needs more original horror films like this right now, expect to laugh more than you should here too. Eli Roth and Jeff Rendell have created an amazing display of the right elements of the genre, even providing sub-texts that are worthy of retrospection and curiosity.
The film should resonate with even the most regular of horror fans as well. There is something for nearly everyone here, and Roth has also provided what could be called the best adaptation of the Grindhouse fake trailers. It’s very welcoming that he finally made Thanksgiving — even keeping the same font of the title — and this could easily be among some folks’ favorites of the year.
4.5/5 stars.
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving is now playing in theatres everywhere!
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Lead Critic for the site, as well as serving as an editor when needed.
