PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Work-related horror often brings some of the best ambiance to the genre, as co-workers being trapped in a confined space ratchets up the internal clock and limits the options of the survivors. Such is the case in Black Friday, a horror comedy named after the newly formed “holiday.” As we get ready to sit down with our families and plan our shopping sprees, let’s line up to talk about the ups and downs of this film.
Black Friday is written by Andy Greskoviak (The Dreamers TV series 2015) and directed by Casey Tebo (Barely Legal 2021). It stars Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead 1981, read our retro review here), Devon Sawa (Final Destination 2000), and Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth 2006). The plot examines a bunch of toy store employees getting prepared for the biggest sales night of the year, when customers start turning into zombies. Suddenly a band of eclectic workers have to find their company spirit to survive the night.
The characters in Black Friday are heavily stereotyped and modeled after longtime retail workers, so that anybody who works in that field will be immediately endeared to the self-deprecation and in-jokes that come with it. While archetypes like the unfeeling boss, the new deer-in-headlights, and the creepy older fraternizer are a little too ham-fisted, each of the actors have some nice moments and dry delivery that makes the comedy pop.
The toy store is well designed and well lit, so that the ambiance is not only set up for character isolation but also has a warm holiday feel and nostalgic props strewn about. This movie feels like a bit of Clerks mixed with Mayhem and The Fog. The comedy overtakes the horror in a bit of an unbalance, but when the movie chooses practical effects over CGI, the designs are gruesome and intricate.
When Black Friday leans into the heart and realism inside of its relationships, it really shines. This may be the kind of movie to click on after the turkey and pie start to kick in.
It’s available (as of this writing) on Freevee and Amazon Prime.
