Horror and comedy have always been a beautiful blend in cinema. While there are plenty of horror satires or spoofs that miss the mark, The Blackening, directed by Tim Story, is nearly pitch-perfect in its execution, delivering the funniest movie of the year so far and the best horror movie of this summer. This is in large part due to an endearing yet hilarious ensemble cast and a tight, clever script by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins.
A group of friends -- Lisa (Antoinette Robertson), Dewayne (Perkins), Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), Allison (Grace Byers), Shanika (X Mayo), King (Melvin Gregg), Clifton (Jermaine Fowler), Morgan (Yvonne Orji) and Shawn (Jay Pharoah), reunite for a Juneteenth celebration. Upon arriving to their cabin, they quickly become the subjects of a twisted game called The Blackening.
With such a huge ensemble, one would think a few of the characters would fade into the background, but that's not the case in The Blackening. The entire cast gives it their all when delivering their performances. While the jokes are almost nonstop, there are still genuine moments between the characters. That along with a fair amount of ribbing, and the cast delivers a group of characters who feel like genuine friends. The characters feel real, and their reactions to the horrific events around them also feel genuine, even when played for humor. Because of this, audiences hoped the tagline of The Blackening -- "We can't all die first" -- is true, because it's next to impossible not to want all these characters to survive.
While everyone brings their A game in The Blackening, there are of course a few standouts, starting with Perkins. Taking on the role of co-writer and one of the main characters is a mighty task, and Perkins shines in both roles. On top of that, Perknis's delivery of jokes throughout the film hits every time; meanwhile, he brings a lot of heartbreak and love to Dewayne. While the subplot about Dewayne feeling pushed aside by his friends is not as engaging as it aspires to be, Perkins sells how torn up Dewayne is regardless with simple a look. Another stand out is Mayo, who commits fully to several bits throughout The Blackening. While these moments could have felt tired in someone else's hands, Mayo brings such contagious energy to the film; every joke she's a part of is a homerun. Even in the more deadpan moments, she nails the punchline each time.
The ensemble is The Blackening's strongest element, but one cannot ignore the brilliant script. The obstacle of a horror satire is finding something to challenge about the popular genre while breaking the mold. The Blackening does just this with jokes that land nearly every time. Along with that, Oliver and Perkins deliver a wide range of comedy -- from social commentary, to jokes, to slapstick, so The Blackening never feels tired. If The Blackening is any indication for where mainstream horror is going, it's more than welcomed.
Story's directing also needs to be celebrated. He knows exactly when to hold a pause to take a joke to the next level, and the expressions he focuses on with cinematographer Todd A. Dos Reis gives the humor that extra push. Timing is critical to comedy, and Story's timing is perfect in The Blackening.
Between Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Blackening, June 2023 is a strong month for cinema. The Blackening is a movie that should be seen on the big screen with as many friends as possible. While it's not the scariest horror movie, audiences will still be invested and laughing from start to finish. They'll also be excited for whatever is ahead of this cast and crew, as The Blackening is as strong as it is because of the powerhouse team it has in front of the camera, as well as behind it.