By this point, it’s become extremely difficult to find creative and unique ways to present films in the slasher subgenre of horror. There are only so many ways you can kill off a bunch of teens and reveal a maligned, connected friend or family member as the killer.
With that being said, a few movies have shone through the oversaturated subgenre in a special (this doesn’t always mean great) way, with projects like James Wan’s Malignant and Christopher Landon’s Happy Death Day and Freaky coming to mind. These films took the subgenre and began adding strange genre blends that seemed like they shouldn’t mix well with slashers. But somehow, at least for the horror community, they work.
Filmmaker Nahnatchka Khan (Always Be My Maybe) has joined the ranks with her new horror comedy, Totally Killer, an homage to ‘80s slashers with a hint of sci-fi peppered in. The film was written by Jen D’Angelo (Workaholics, Hocus Pocus 2), Sasha Perl-Raver, and David Matalon and stars Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Olivia Holt (Cruel Summer), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Lochlyn Munro (Scary Movie, Freddy vs. Jason), and Liana Liberato (Scream VI).
Totally Killer follows Jamie Hughes (Shipka), the teenage daughter of Pam (Bowen) and Blake (Munro), who is tired of feeling smothered by her parents as a result of them being attacked by a serial killer 35 years prior, in 1987.
One night, while Jamie goes to a concert, her mother is attacked and murdered by potentially the same killer who slaughtered her friends three decades before. While being stricken with grief and guilt, Jamie is attacked by the killer and accidentally sets off her friend’s science project, which happens to be a time machine.
The machine transports Jamie back to 1987, and she makes it her mission to stop the murderer before he can kill her mother’s friends, both saving her mother and herself in the future, but she must do so without disrupting the timeline in too many other ways.
Shipka was a great choice for the lead role. Having only seen her in Sabrina, I was curious to see how she’d do in an R-rated horror film, and her choice to act with an awkward, dry-style comedy was perfect for this movie, especially when she struggled to not use today’s modern slang and events while trying to solve crimes in 1987. Every slasher needs its final girl, and Shipka delivers flawlessly.
Related: ‘Sick’ Review: Kevin Williamson Delivers on Writing Another Solid Slasher Film
Having a variety of fun, experienced comedy character actors in supporting roles didn’t hurt anything, either. Julie Bowen and Lochlyn Munro were extremely memorable in their small roles, and getting a strong “Final Girl-B” performance out of Olivia Holt (the young version of Jamie’s mother) helped elevate Shipka’s acting, as the two made a fantastic duo, both in serious and comedic exchanges.
While the main story and idea of using time travel to stop serial killings aren’t wholly original – it brought to mind the underseen 2000 film Frequency – they were unique to the slasher subgenre. With the added hilarious dialogue and the unknowns of this universe’s effects of time travel/mingling, Totally Killer really felt like its own quirky thing.
I loved the fact that it didn’t try to take itself too seriously. This movie was a silly take on the subgenre, and because it never tries to be something it isn’t, I could focus on the film’s main goal: for its viewers to just have some fun.
There weren’t paper-thin metaphors for trauma (*cough* DGG’s Halloween trilogy) or complexities you miss on the first watch (*cough* Jordan Peele). This was simply a fun-filled day at the carnival; a perfect event to munch on some popcorn and bring your friends along for the thrilling rollercoaster ride.
Related: Kane Hodder Returns as a Slasher in ‘Kill Her Goats’ Trailer
I was slightly disappointed with the impact of the reveal, but again, there are only so many ways to reveal a killer in a slasher or whodunit movie. It wasn’t necessarily who the killer was that irked me, but the reaction, response, and implications that the reveal had on the rest of the story.
On a technical level, Totally Killer was impressive as well. No shoddy CG or dark cinematography here. Everything was well-lit, bright, and brilliantly filmed, and the gory moments were surprisingly brutal and realistic looking. I was surprised (and thankful) that the film didn’t cut away during the kill scenes, as most modern slashers tend to do now. The film settled in the perfect balance between horrific and hilarious. It had great stability between intensity and satire.
It’s no surprise that Totally Killer has already racked up an 86% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes (70+ reviews), as it appeals to both the younger crowd of teen horror fans and those of us who grew up enjoying the ‘80s slasher genre.
Totally Killer makes a surprising entrance as one of the best (and most fun) horror movies of the year. Unfortunately, this isn’t one that premiered in theaters, and like another one of the year’s best, Hulu’s No One Will Save You, it is only available at home. You can stream Totally Killer now on Prime Video.
We’re hardworking geeks who love to geek out, but we can’t do it without you! If you enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please consider tipping our writers. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
