MOVIE OF THE WEEK #2 (6/16/23): THE BLACKENING

"Wait ... Is that Tucker Carlson at a Kanye West concert?!" A group of old college friends – King (Melvin Gregg), Allison (Grace Byers), Lisa (Antoinette Robinson), Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), Clifton (Jermaine Fowler), Dewayne (Dewayne Perkins) and Shanika (Xochitl "x" Mayo) in THE BLACKENING. Credit: Glen Wilson © 2023 Lionsgate Publicity

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

DIRECTOR: Tim Story

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Melvin Gregg, Grace Byers, Antoinette Robinson, Sinqua Walls, Jermaine Fowler, Dewayne Perkins and Xochitl "x" Mayo with Deidrich Bader, Yvonne Orji and Jay Pharoah

WEB SITE: https://www.theblackening.movie/

THE BACK STORY: A group of young Black friends decide to meet up at a cabin in the woods to relive their college party days. This includes former thug turned reformed married man King (Melvin Gregg), the biracial Allison (Grace Byers), the lawyer with a penchant for molly (the drug, not a person) Lisa (Antoinette Robinson), Lisa's old college flame Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), the nerdy Clifton (Jermaine Fowler), Lisa's gay best friend Dewayne (Dewayne Perkins) and the always ready to get down for a good Shanika (Xochitl "x" Mayo). Also set to join the party are Morgan (Yvonne Orji) and Shawn (Jay Pharoah)

Problem is, once the gang arrives, they discover very quickly that something is wrong. That's when they find themselves locked in a room being forced by a terrifying voice coming from a Sambo figure from "The Blackening:" A board game that challenges their knowledge of black history and culture. And once a TV cuts on showing one of their friends in an extremely compromising position, they know just how serious their situation is.

So, what happens when the group is forced to confront their own hypocrisies, idiosyncrasies and culture to ensure they can stay alive? A lot – and since they all can't die first, a lot of hilarity is set to follow. 

THE REVIEW: While it's not a pure classic (there are some moments that feel like missed opportunities to go even deeper on certain subjects), THE BLACKENING is sure to become a certified 'hood classic among African Americans. Additionally, the film also carries the potential for a Friday-like following among all those who enjoy African American culture. For with THE BLACKENING, audiences are treated to a look into race (both in terms of what it means to be Black in America and in the eyes of other Black people) set against a cleverly-composed story with enough twists and turns to work on both a horror and comedy level.

In other words, it's really entertaining and far more poignant than it should be for a 96-minute movie with a largely unknown cast.

Feeling a lot like the best work of Key & Peele within a horror movie context, The Blackening explores familiar territory – politics, what it means to be black, colorism and homophobia within the black community, etc. It does so, however, in a way that is entertaining, smart and multi-faceted, going out of its way to showcase how black people don't exist as a monolith. In doing so, it also presents opportunities for the audience to examine how they think and act regarding those issues through laughter without being preachy, heavy-handed or depressing. 

This wouldn't be possible, of course, without the cast's chemistry and the management of director Tim Story (Ride Along, Barbershop and the first two Fantastic Four films). Making fun of the horror movie format while working within it can go terribly wrong if not done properly, as can trying to use humor to make good points. Fortunately the cast passes its vibe check in spades (pun intended given the significant of the popular Black card game to the plot), making the film move at a crisp, suspenseful pace.

What could be better? Well, each character could get a chance to serve as a reflection of the different cross sections of society and the repeated use of the n-word could have sparked a great discussion among the characters. Likewise, some of the film's subject matter feels a little late to the party in lieu of the fabled work of Chappelle's Show, the aforementioned Key & Peele and Saturday Night Live's phenomenal "Black Jeopardy" sketches starring the late Chadwick Boseman and Tom Hanks. Alas, it's hard to cram everything into just one movie and projecting the things one would love to see versus what the filmmakers gives will always leave room for a little disappointment. 

Still, while it won't reach Get Out levels of cultural discussion or impact, THE BLACKENING will add to our nation's ongoing conversation about race, but will do so with a bunch of laughs along the way. It would be very interesting to see a non-black audience watch the film with a black audience watching them and vice-versa as that inherently would spur some great conversations. (I can only imagine the puzzlement of some leading conservatives asking what exactly "the cookout" is and the significance of an invite.)

All that notwithstanding, THE BLACKENING is one hell of a good time at the movies and welcome addition to a cinematic world where far too often the only thing black is the first victim.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):