“I thought I was stuck in the same day for some big, cosmic reason – facing my mom’s death – but it had nothing to do with her. Turns out it was just some scientific fluke.”
Tree-Happy Death Day 2U
My favorite subgenre of horror is slasher. This doesn’t mean I will automatically love every slasher flick, but it does mean when they are good, I might overrate it. While horror has had a nice run over the last few years, the slasher has had an unprecedented rebound. Films like Sick, Happy Death Day, and the newest Scream sequels have all had success.
The aforementioned Happy Death Day resembles Totally Killer a lot. The goofy mask, the additional layer of sci-fi, and the comedy all feel like a Christopher Landon film. The main difference is that Totally Killer is a hard R. There is a lot of blood, drugs, and sex. The comedy is also spot-on.
The story isn’t breaking new ground, and the twist ending isn’t either, but the journey is super fun. There are so many 80s pop culture references, and the fish-out-of-water comedy is side-splitting.
I wasn’t familiar with director Nahnatchka Khan’s work before this, but she’s talented. Late 80s and early 90s pop culture very obviously influenced her, not just because of this film but her previous work on this, like Fresh Off The Boat. The timing of her comedy is stellar. She also directs horror like she’s been doing it her entire career.
The cast is also impeccable. Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt as a duo of final girls is such a novel twist. Both women give excellent performances. Shipka has so much charisma and charm. I felt like I was watching the makings of an eventual superstar actress. She has been a part of a few great things as a child actress, but this feels like her break into the business as an adult.
The film’s take on the slasher genre isn’t breaking new ground, but it’s a lot of fun. The twist ending isn’t as predictable as I thought it would be, and the kills are unique. Nahnatchka Khan has a promising future as a director, and I hope she continues to get to take chances like this. The lead performances and a hilarious script make Totally Killer a must-watch. I’m a sucker for the slasher subgenre, throw in some Back to the Future, and this film feels like it was personally made for me.
Rating: 8/10
