
What is is About:
A Black Friday sale in Plymouth Massachusetts goes wrong when a riot breaks out resulting in several deaths. Now, one year later, a mysterious man dressed up as John Carver is killing those responsible for the riot.
Review:
Thanksgiving comes from the mind of Eli Roth (Hostel, Green Inferno) and Jeff Rendell. It is based off their fake trailer, also titled Thanksgiving, that was created for 2007 film Grindhouse. In the trailer we watch a pilgrim-themed killer committing all sorts of horrific Thanksgiving-themed murders done in a deliciously corny, albeit extremely violent, Grindhouse fashion.
Eli Roth describes the 2023 movie as the “Remake” of the grindhouse movie that no longer exists. Instead, he delivers onto us a more traditional slasher movie complete with a “teenage” cast and a classic ‘whodunit’ storyline. And as a traditional slasher, the movies excels. It movies along at a brisk pace with likable characters, humorous moments, and of course, lots of kills..

What it fails at, unfortunately, is the ending. I do exaggerate when I say that Thanksgiving was rapidly climbing my list of favorite holiday-themed horror movies. It had everything I wanted. It was funny, it was creative, it had a compelling mystery that kept me guessing but all of this fumbled at the 1-yard line. I do not really know the situation (if there is one) that resulted in the ending feeling so abrupt and rushed, but I will say that it left me a bit disappointed.
Now please, don’t get wrong. The movie as a whole is entertaining as hell. I cannot tell you the last time I saw a traditional slasher movie as good as this one. It really felt like it was an homage to the ultra-violent slashers of the 80s and early 90s. Not to mention that the characters were surprisingly likable. I found myself rooting for them and it was always a bummer when one of them was attacked.
That said, the movie is not flawless. There are some odd editing moments sprinkled throughout and some of the acting felt a little wooden but none of these really bothered me.
Up until the ending. I cannot go into too much detail without spoilers. What I can say is that the ending felt incomplete. I do not know if this was intentional – setting us up for a sequel – or if it was just another example of writers not knowing how to end their movie. Either way, I could not help the sense of disappointment that I felt once the movie was over.
In conclusion, I do recommend people giving Thanksgiving a chance. I am sure that they will enjoy it despite the ending. So please, check the movie out and let me know what you thought. I will love to hear your opinions on it.
TLDR:
Pros:
- Fantastic practical effects for a majority of the gore.
- Feels very much like an homage to the classic, ultra-violent slasher movies of the 80s and early 90s.
- Likable characters.
- Lots of genuine humor.
- Wonderful side-characters that really help make the town feel real and lived in.
- Tense opening sequence with the Black Friday riot.
Cons:
- Some gore is notably CGI. Not enough to ruin the immersion but always prefer practical.
- The final act feels rushed and has some odd editing choices.
- The ending is severely lacking.