The Blackening (15)

Dir: Tim Story

Cast: Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robinson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, Yvonne Orji

‘The Blackening‘ is an unapologetically hilarious horror-comedy that satirises horror tropes and racial stereotypes

‘The Blackening‘ is the latest release from Tim Story, the director of Fantastic Four (2005), Ride Along (2014) and most famously the 2002 comedy Barbershop, starring Ice Cube and Anthony Anderson. This horror comedy sets out to tackle the typical tropes and stereotypes that are put upon black characters in cinema, most notably with the horror genre. For decades it has been an all too damning horror trope that black characters are reduced to comic relief side characters, who are ultimately killed off before the film even reaches its final act. Whilst bringing a fresh take to the genre, ‘The Blackening‘ is not the first instance of this horror cliché being satirised.

Over thirty years ago there was Wes Craven’s mostly overlooked The People Under the Stairs (1991), which was a perfect example of a B-movie style horror comedy, with plenty of racial and class warfare subtext. Then we had the not quite as subtle Scary Movie franchise, helmed by comedic siblings, the Wayans Brothers. Whilst the outlandish and often childish franchise of spoofs parodied the genre as a whole, they also brought attention to the racial stereotypes portrayed on screen by black characters, most notably with the recurring character Shorty – a constantly high, dim-witted member of the group (portrayed by Marlon Wayans).

It hasn’t been until recent years where we have seen better representation of black characters within the horror genre, with the releases of Remi Weekes’ His House (2020) and most notably the works of Jordan Peele: Get Out (2017), Us (2019) and Nope (2022). The latter of which is a reference to ridiculously dumb decisions made by underwritten black characters throughout the decades.

‘The Blackening’ takes the classic horror movie set up, of a group of friends at a cabin in the woods, but replaces the standard predominately white characters with an all black cast. This is where the movie gets its excellent tagline – “We all can’t die first”.

Following a Scream-esque cold open, we are gradually introduced to the film’s central cast of life long friends, along with all the complicated personal relationships and constant squabbles they are mixed up in. We first meet Lisa (Antoinette Robinson), Allison (Grace Byers) and Lisa’s gay best friend Dewayne (Dewayne Perkins), as they are driving to a cabin in the woods to celebrate Juneteenth with their friends from college. Dewayne is angry and defensive upon discovering that Lisa has started hooking up with her unfaithful ex-boyfriend, Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), causing a level of mistrust amongst the trio. The rest of the group consists of ex-gangster King (Melvin Gregg), the sassy and unrestrained Shanika (X Mayo) and the absurdly awkward Clifton (Jermaine Fowler).

Once the friends have reunited at the cabin, they are refused entry by the aptly named Ranger White (Diedrich Bader). The group of friends are quite rightly offended and immediately on edge knowing that the sole figure of authority in the local area is a potentially prejudice white man. After settling the dispute, the friends begin their night of partying as drinks, drugs and games of spades ensue. This is when the power to the cabin goes out, prompting the group to look for the fuse box, only to come across a previously locked games room. On a table in the centre of the room is a racially offensive parlour game called “The Blackening”. A masked killer on the television forces the group into playing the game, which begins by asking them trivia questions on African-American culture – including asking them to name five black actors who appeared in the sitcom Friends.

What follows is a hilariously clever slasher comedy, as we follow the central group of friends as they try and survive the night from a masked killer with a potentially racist agenda. It is the snappy back-and-forth amongst the cast that makes the film tick, as their incredible on screen chemistry invests you in their efforts for survival. They also have a great level of self-consciousness about the situation they find themselves in, knowing what they are willing to do, or not do, in their bid to survive could be scolded by their black peers.

Whilst the idea of a horror-comedy holding up a mirror to racial stereotypes has been done multiple times before, co-writers Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins take aspects from what has come before it to create an entirely new vision. With the film being as hilarious as it is, it could have been very easy to disregard the films racial subtext. But through various character conversations and the nature of titular board game itself, the movie cleverly examines the role of black people in horror and the media.

Despite the film being hilarious from start to finish, it is let down slightly in the horror department. Amongst the continuous jokes and black pop culture references, there is no real threat of peril or threat regardless of the one presenting itself to our cast of characters. From a horror perspective, the lack of scares or violence left me wanting more, but as a laugh out loud comedy with a big dose of social commentary – it absolutely delivers.

‘The Blackening’ wears its social and racial subtext firmly on its sleeve, and while it may not be the scariest, it is a sharp and hysterically funny black-comedy, and a perfect film to watch with as many people as possible.

The Blackening is now showing in Cinemas