Thanksgiving is a 2023 horror slasher film directed by Eli Roth (Hostel, Death Wish) and produced by Roger Birnbaum, from a screenplay written by Roth and Jeff Rendell (Cabin Fever). It is based on Roth's mock trailer of the same name from his film Grindhouse (2007), for which Rendell was also a co-writer.

A mysterious serial killer, known only as "John Carver", comes to a small town in Massachusetts intending to create a Thanksgiving carving board out of the town's inhabitants.

The film stars Addison Rae, Patrick Dempsey, Milo Manheim, Gina Gershon, and Rick Hoffman.

Thanksgiving made its debut in theaters on November 17th, courtesy of TriStar Pictures.

THE GOOD

As a longtime and devoted fan of the Friday the 13th franchise, slasher films are like comfort food to me so needless to say I was pumped for Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving (pun intended, of course). When it comes to a good slasher I want all the fixings, and I have seen enough from Roth to know that he is more than capable of delivering the goods. Once the first trailer dropped I was honestly next-level excited, this just looked really good from top to bottom in terms of what you want to see from this genre. So as the holiday known as Turkey Day neared, I couldn’t wait to plant my ass in a comfy movie theater seat. So, was the latest film from Eli Roth moist and tasty, or was it more like just holding your breath until the relatives you can’t stand finally leave? Keep reading to find out!

Thanksgiving is everything I want in the aforementioned holiday, a filling and very tasty meal topped off with decadent desserts followed by a nap on the couch with a big smile on my face. I really liked the story for the film which was simple but extremely effective, giving audiences plenty to keep them engaged as well as a great twist that I did not see coming. I thought the characters were great as well, and even though they were formulaic as far as slasher films go, they were properly utilized, and each added value. A big-time shining star for the film was the technical elements, bringing to the table a ton of creativity and lots to be excited about. I also thought the tone was absolutely perfect, balancing comedy and brutality with ease in typical Eli Roth fashion. Plus as a native of the “go fuck yourself” state of Massachusetts, Roth does a hilarious job paying homage to the “Massholes”. Bottom line, Thanksgiving is a horror slasher that delivers the goods.

Filmmaking is meant to be an escape for viewers, and when a film is able to provide a certain level of immersion it is already ahead of the game. Thanksgiving has a very clear identity from the start, and after the 17th “go fuck yourself” I felt like I was spending the weekend in the Commonwealth. Seriously, stand outside of Fenway before a Sox game for two minutes and you’ll likely be told to fuck off at least six times. This state was the perfect setting for a Black Friday sale that quickly went from bad to worse, and although much of the film is very over-the-top it still somehow feels grounded in this troubling but still hilarious reality. The stage was set perfectly giving this mysterious killer the perfect reason to create his guest list of deserving victims, and I loved how they made sure to include the social media element as well. No matter how depraved, if someone posts a video online people will watch it because people are messed up, simple as that. The mystery surrounding the killer felt reminiscent of the Scream films which is a positive. I enjoyed the story from start to finish and felt like the pacing really couldn’t have been better.

Now I won’t sugarcoat it, Thanksgiving is brutally violent and several scenes are difficult to stomach, but that is part of the allure. I mean, let’s be honest, would it even be an Eli Roth film without some reference to cannibalism? The guy clearly has some demons and a few therapists on call, but his talent as a filmmaker is undeniable. I laughed out loud a ton and made the “oh shit” face quite a few times, and I am a sick individual when it comes to my tolerance who also happens to need therapy. From a technical standpoint as far as slashers go this is crazy good as it includes some really creative and brutal kills. At times the film gave me a Final Destination vibe just in terms of how a few of the victims met their end. I also thought the way the killer moved and went about his business was pretty much flawless.

The cast was as good as you can hope for when it comes to a horror slasher film. The headliner for Thanksgiving is Maine native Patrick Dempsey, who plays the well-intentioned Sheriff Eric Newlon. Dempsey’s character finds himself at the heart of the incident that leads to the killings and is also tasked with leading the investigation into who is responsible before more victims meet their demise. Like most people, I love me some Patrick Dempsey, and I thought he was fantastic in Thanksgiving and was easily my favorite character.

My second favorite is one of the film’s primary antagonists, White Collar star Rick Hoffman. If you haven’t seen the show you are missing out for sure, but if you have you are familiar with Hoffman’s ability as an actor to be very easy to dislike. Hoffman plays Thomas Wright, the greedy owner of the retail store where the Black Friday tragedy took place. I just thought his character was fantastic and added a lot of value to the story. Honestly, I enjoyed the cast from top to bottom and thought everyone came together to create a top-notch theater experience. Well-deserved shout-outs to Gina Gershon who I will always remember from Showgirls, Addison Rae, Tomaso Sanelli, Gabriel Davenport, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Amanda Barker, Tomaso Sanelli, Jenna Warren, and Tim Dillon.

THE BAD

I honestly have very few issues with this film, I mean it is easily one of the better entries in the slasher genre in recent memory. Plus it’s a holiday-themed film which is just a bonus, in my opinion. But as an Eli Roth film, it goes without saying it may not be for everyone. If you are a fan of the slasher genre in general odds are you have seen it all, but Roth is known for pushing the envelope in terms of the gore factor and he certainly does that here. So if you consider yourself to be a bit squeamish this may be a tough watch. Also, some of the Mass accents were a bit much at times, but this just added to the comedic element in my opinion so I wouldn’t necessarily consider it to be a flaw.

Also, and this is not really a gripe about the film, but what was up with the football jersey numbers?! Around the third act, we see a few of the characters in uniform as they prepare to play a game but for some reason, the jersey numbers are super small, like what you would usually see on a child-size jersey. I just found it strange and would love to know the reasoning behind it.

THE VERDICT

A crafty horror slasher that often feels inspired by a mix of the Scream and Final Destination franchises, Thanksgiving will have you laughing and cringing simultaneously which is a testament to the vision of the talented Eli Roth. By the end of this movie, you will be stuffed with sheer enjoyment and as the tagline says, there will be no leftovers. But lucky for us this film will likely get even better with each viewing and is sure to become a classic for the genre as Roth himself already confirmed that a sequel is in the works aiming for a theatrical release in 2025. Do yourself a favor and see Thanksgiving in theaters sooner than later.