The Blackening

Name: The Blackening
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Comedy
Released: June 16, 2023
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 67
Cast: Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Grace Byers, James Preston Rogers, Jay Pharoah

2023

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 44 Ratings

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4.4

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4.4	Your Score
4.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 44 Ratings

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The Blackening (Final Trailer)

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: June 16, 2023

Starring: Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Grace Byers, James Preston Rogers, Jay Pharoah, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, Sinqua Walls, X Mayo, Yvonne Orji

Summary: A group of Black friends reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain’t no motherf****** game.

Director: Tim Story

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror, Comedy

Runtime: 96 min

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Marcus Shorter

Jun 14, 2023

The Blackening is tense, funny, and thoughtful. It’s a miracle when any movie expertly hits that hat trick but even more so when it does it with this much confidence. Read full review

Polygon Tasha Robinson

Sep 14, 2023

The Blackening is a strange movie, and often a very silly one. But the creators can at least boast that they’ve put something on screen that horror fans don’t see often, and won’t be expecting. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Jun 14, 2023

The Blackening is a slasher movie that’s also a slapdash enjoyable social satire. That the satire turns out to be sharper than the scares isn’t a problem — it’s all part of the film’s slovenly demonic party atmosphere. Read full review

Timothy Cogshell

Jun 14, 2023

The movie is highly entertaining, while being oddly validating and very funny. It cleverly weaves the horror tropes that it rebukes right into the narrative. And it’s done without slipping into parody like the Scary Movie series, where similar notions are skewered more broadly and, with The Blackening now on the table, way less successfully. Read full review

The Film Stage Jared Mobarak

Jun 14, 2023

When the entire cast embraces the self-deprecating nature needed to lean into the stereotypes while also calling them out, it’s impossible not to climb onboard via comedy alone. If the twists and turns are hardly shocking, that bluntness is the point. Read full review

Donald Clarke

Aug 23, 2023

Are we supposed to be scared or are we supposed to be laughing at the absurdity of it all? Happily, the actors throw enough energy at the screen to deflect any incoming frustration. An odd beast. Read full review

Jenny Nulf

Jun 14, 2023

The Blackening feels like a cash grab, a film so blatantly made because “horror is so hot right now.” There’s no love for the genre, and if you don’t admire something to some degree, it’s hard to properly satirize it. Read full review

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User Reviews

lresendi25

Jun 16, 2023

Don’t let these modern-day Nazi’s ruin it for you. This is great fun! Watch it with your friends,

7 of 16 users found this helpful79

Santiago5000

Jun 30, 2023

This movie really surprised me and shows that you don't need a big budget to make a fun movie.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

arlethclarine

Jul 2, 2023

This movie was a lot of fun and I recommend watching it with your friends in one afternoon.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

royalguy07

Jun 17, 2023

Basically a loose comedy set in a cabin the woods thriller. The body count is low enough that its not really a slasher film. It is well done but the resolution and the villain is a little disappointing and predictable.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

NxDx

Jul 10, 2023

Extremely subpar in almost every metric but notably the pacing, action, & plot.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Uncle_B0b

Jul 29, 2023

I thought black theme would be better explored. Alse there is exactly zero trans persons

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

HonestReviews66

Aug 18, 2023

Do you really need a review? As if the title doesn't say it all. This is just another excuse for a bunch of privileged, entitled black people to literally just be outright racist for an hour and a half. The racism, as with all of these types of films, is always overt and without shame. ForDo you really need a review? As if the title doesn't say it all. This is just another excuse for a bunch of privileged, entitled black people to literally just be outright racist for an hour and a half. The racism, as with all of these types of films, is always overt and without shame. For the record, there has never been a film where white people just sit and mock black people for an hour and a half. But there should be. Because it would be easy to come up with content.

No we don't want every single woman in a movie to be a boss lady.
No we don't want every single black person to be racist to white people.
No we don't want every single teenager to be a gay, trans weirdo.

Please take me back to the 90's.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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