Black Friday 2021 Is A Resourceful Zom-Com Christmas Horror With Bruce Campbell
A Christmas horror movie with all the panache of The Blob. Zombie Shoppers crossed with Alien killing powers and Bruce Campbell. What more can a horror fan truly want? One would think the amalgamation of all these elements guaranteed a good time. Alas, the Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness) and Warner Davis (Collection) produced comedy horror movie, Black Friday is kind of a dud. It passes as a watchable B-movie. However, this is due largely because the cast carries everything in it.
If you’re looking for a new horror film with “Critters” characteristics, the title begins like any one of them. A meteor is scattered around the population. Its pink and marshmallow-like consistency breathes in a small pile on the floor of the warehouse at the back of We Love Toys. As the superstore gears up for the annual Black Friday sale night, one of its employees is attacked by the blob. Of course, he then mutates and hides out ready to infect anyone else that comes near him. With plenty of incoming zombie fodder, the shoppers make their way inside and are duly turned en mass into violent predators.
Black Friday Movie Never Gets Dark Enough
Visually, Black Friday is excellent. The horde of biting and intestine-ripping patrons are a mix of various stages of mutation. Some great special effects never let up. The skeletal floor staff inclusive of Campbell’s We Love Toys manager Jonathan, is everything you want in a profit-obsessed boss. Devon Sawa is cast as would-be loser Ken, too old to be working with a bunch of misfits but too cool not to be. His love interest Marnie (Ivana Baquero of Pans Labyrinth) works as the formidable lookout. She eventually figures out what this parasitic entity wants.
I did enjoy Michael Jai White’s Archie. He was the only cast member who drummed up and worked the chemistry by bouncing off the equally enjoyable Ken. But overall, such an excellent set of performers deserved some better story arcs and more dynamic depth.
The first quarter of the Black Friday film is usually the best part of movies like this. It’s far more interesting waiting for the next infected person to leap out unexpectedly than watching a group of people hide out from them. What’s more, there is too much irrelevant chit-chat. And while opening scenes are engaging, they just aren’t funny enough to whet the appetite for the rest of the film.
The typecast set of bland personalities simply wasn’t interesting enough to ramp up being invested in. For this horror film, the finale certainly does a nice enough job of winding things down as giant monsters emerge after absorbing all the affected population. As the pink Godzilla monsters busy themselves with a takeover, the remaining survivors think about their place in life as they formulate a plan to kill them.
A Fun B-Movie
Black Friday is fun. It’s watchable. But sadly, it’s certainly not going to reach the cult horror status fans probably wanted out of a title like this.
Black Friday is rated
2.5 Shaun of the Dead meets The Office out of 5
Black Friday Christmas Horror Movie Trailer
Where to Watch Black Friday
- The horror and comedy film is directed by Casey Tebo and written by Andy Greskoviak.
- The Black Friday movie cast includes Devon Sawa, Bruce Campbell, Michael Jai White, and Ivana Baquero.
In addition, originally Black Friday was released in some countries in 2021. The Black Friday movie will be available in Australia and New Zealand from March 9th, 2022 on digital and DVD from Defiant Screen Entertainment. Check out the link below for more streaming options in your region.
Black Friday Where To Watch:
