Black Christmas

Universal Pictures | Release Date: December 13, 2019

1.9	USER SCORE Overwhelming dislike based on 124 Ratings

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SavcicDec 19, 2019

No one was expecting a remake of Black Christmas, nor was anyone asking for it. And its sudden announcement in June was like snow on one’s head. What kind of interest can there be in the cult proto-slasher of 1974? Especially after theNo one was expecting a remake of Black Christmas, nor was anyone asking for it. And its sudden announcement in June was like snow on one’s head. What kind of interest can there be in the cult proto-slasher of 1974? Especially after the notorious 2006s remake, which many still either recall as a nightmare or consider it a comedy because of its torture porn, plot holes, and the ridiculous killer’s backstory? These two Black Christmases would remain a typical tandem of the “80s original / XXI century studio alteration”, but…

The rights to the concept were bought by Blumhouse with director Sophia Takal and screenwriter April Wolfe to lead the newest incarnation. Takal had previously shot some lazy indie thriller about mean female friendship and a full-length episode of the anthology series “Into the Dark” ...also about mean female friendship. And with New Year's entourage. Obviously, everything starts there. These two saw the opportunity to depict all of their modern ideas, only with some snow and toothless scrimers.

Do not hope to find any tribute to the original **** Claudette instead of 1974s cat Claude) and an attempt to strangle one of the villains with polyethylene. Instead, we have a bunch of blank college girls, one of whom, Riley (Imogen Poots), suffers from emotional trauma after being raped by one of the frat bros, who escaped punishment and even dared to return to college. But the girls have worse problems: the tough student Chris (Aleyse Shannon) demands the dismissal of one of the old-school professor for his boomer-ish way of teaching. While Professor Gelson (Cary Elwes) is trolling the suffragists of the 21st century by quoting the well-known anti-feminist Camille Paglia, female students begin to disappear. And if nobody gave a **** about the horribly acting blonde girl from literally every movie’s trailers (Lucy Curry), the further disappearances begin to slowly alarm. The police shrugs and isn’t eager to do anything (by the way, another curtsy to the original), so Riley begins her own investigation.

Takal and Wolfe are as humble as a jackhammer when it’s about the man which are either evil or stupid. An malicious cultist professor with his toxic bloodhound on a chain, annoying boyfriends who can either start a fight out of nothing or stutter while talking to a girl. The authors’ ideas ends so quickly that they even use supernatural power, led by the late founder of the college - a white privileged slaver man of his 1800s, who was sure that women would occupy his stronghold of knowledge one day, and then the males must be able to defend... defend what? Oh, sorry, they never explain it anyway. They just hate women, that’s all, bite it. No Billy, no Agnes, no real freedom from male opinion. Somewhere in 1974, Jess Bradford sighs heavily while firmly announcing to her boyfriend the decision to have an abortion. Turns out that women's rights aren’t about freedom of choice, but about driving away the “white men science” from universities.

Black Christmas doesn't want to be a horror movie. In fact, it doesn’t want to be a film. But it wants to be an essay, which for whatever reason was wrapped in Christmas light. An essay, albeit with a budget of $ 5,000,000, is not capable of being exciting and thrilling. Even in others negative reviews, only Imogen Poots can be praised for the role of the emotionally injured, but strong by her spirit, but she is underestimated by the scriptwriters that did not want to give her character some decent development. Cary Elves wasn’t told this isn’t another “Saw”, and therefore something like “game over” is about to burst from his terribly taut smile. The rest of the cast is the most typical cannon fodder, as one of the girls behaves so cringy while interacting with the intruder as if she wanted to end all of this as soon as possible. It’s also hilarious that there are two sorority houses, and the second one is shown briefly in the midst of their own attack. All for the sake of the final fight, so that there could me more female combat extras.

The film is mostly praised for showing certain socially disturbing topics familiar to many… well, feminists. Campus abuse and rapes were described in the great “The Hunting Ground”, and the pointless gory gender violence was shown in epic “Assassination Nation”. What do we get in “Black Christmas” for millennials? The fear of walking down the street alone at night, the keys compressed in a shaking fist, and the unexplained progressive ladies’ annoyance with the “not all men".

Black Christmas is a boring, bloodless thriller that is radical in its beliefs and incapable of accepting a bit of a different opinion, shot for the fun of snowflakes and all kinds of warriors for the rights of all disenfranchised. Fortunately, this movie ceases to be associated with its predecessors as soon as it changes its name.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

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LamontRaymondDec 21, 2019

It took me about 40 minutes to realize that this is not a Rated-R horror film. Who makes a PG-13 horror these days??? It's so tame. The acting is decent, but it's just undercooked in a serious way.

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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IndiefilmloverDec 25, 2019

While I appreciated the film's feminist message, it's drowned out in a horror film that is neither scary or suspenseful. This might sound sacrilegious to write this, but the filmmakers would have benefitted from watching a few films by RomanWhile I appreciated the film's feminist message, it's drowned out in a horror film that is neither scary or suspenseful. This might sound sacrilegious to write this, but the filmmakers would have benefitted from watching a few films by Roman Polanski (and others) to learn how to craft the requisite scares that the film desperately needs. The film also fails as a social satire or dark comedy. Even with the best of intentions, you still need to understand the conventions of the type of film you are making and either adhere to those conventions or cleverly break then.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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zmgalen2000Dec 29, 2019

Black Christmas is nothing more or less than the archetypal modern thriller. With a wildly predictive plotline, expected jump scares, and mediocre acting, Black Christmas lacks the foundation necessary to instill some true scares in itsBlack Christmas is nothing more or less than the archetypal modern thriller. With a wildly predictive plotline, expected jump scares, and mediocre acting, Black Christmas lacks the foundation necessary to instill some true scares in its audience. It has the fun, upbeat pacing and progression of any other Blumhouse film but is one of the studio's less successful attempts at bringing modern horror to cinemas.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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SerengetiDec 16, 2019

This is not such a horrible movie. A friend and I went to see it and enjoyed it. We had some good screams and felt like it wasn’t over the top with the woman vs man topic. I think most complaining about that here are likely men...lol.This is not such a horrible movie. A friend and I went to see it and enjoyed it. We had some good screams and felt like it wasn’t over the top with the woman vs man topic. I think most complaining about that here are likely men...lol. Anyway, the sorority girls have called out a frat boy who raped one of the sisters and now sisters are being targeted by unknown, hooded people. It is not so bad as a slasher movie. I didn’t look most of the time, but don’t feel it was all belabored. We had some moments where we just had to shake our heads at these girls and their bad judgement. All in all, not great, but not horrible. As far as scary movies go, it is strictly middle of the road and skippable. But, we are diehards and see pretty much any scary movie that comes along. This was not the worst we have seen.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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JLuis_001Dec 16, 2019

Just last year I watched Black Christmas for the first time and despite its mistakes and disadvantages I found it a good horror movie. I understand that there is another remake that was released in 2006 but I haven't seen it and frankly IJust last year I watched Black Christmas for the first time and despite its mistakes and disadvantages I found it a good horror movie. I understand that there is another remake that was released in 2006 but I haven't seen it and frankly I wasn't interested in this one but you cannot have an opinion without seeing so here we are.

The strong feminist charge is understood and that doesn't make it a bad movie. What makes it a bad movie is how unimaginative its development is and that's where the problem comes about because everything is lost due to the inability to know where the plot wants to go.

It's clear that lies in the horror genre but it's never scary and the social topics of its message are weak and that unbalances the tone and therefore the film is neither effective as horror nor as a social commentary.

It was a mixture to which they couldn't give a more cohesive style and consequently ends up derailing loudly.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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HellHoleHorrorNov 13, 2022

This is pretty forgettable and unoriginal. I’ve gone off Blumhouse films, there are too many average or bad ones. This one is well acted, looks beautiful, sounds amazing but that will only carry it so far. The first half of the film is a dullThis is pretty forgettable and unoriginal. I’ve gone off Blumhouse films, there are too many average or bad ones. This one is well acted, looks beautiful, sounds amazing but that will only carry it so far. The first half of the film is a dull and very typical slasher with a convincing eighties style. The second half is a slasher with a slight twist which I won't ruin. It's not gory. It's not really like the original except for the setting and slasher vibes. The action is not engaging. Not terrible but also not good, simple average and forgettable.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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bfoore90Nov 14, 2020

Not as bad as the 2006 remake. The biggest crime this film committed is that it lacks imagination. Its a dull somewhat boring film that lacks scares and would have greatly benefitted from an R rating.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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imdbsupportFeb 11, 2021

A feminist horror flick that lacks nuance in its feminism and thrills in its horror. But it should be applauded for reinterpreting rather than just retreading the original.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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