The Blackening

Despite one of those always trustworthy promotional campaigns suggesting otherwise, The Blackening barely skewers Black people’s rocky history in horror. But its success isn’t reliant on such pinpointed satire.

The tale of a Juneteenth weekend reunion among college friends that doesn’t exactly go as planned, Tim Story’s film is set in a cabin in the woods and name-checks a few famous slasher series. Rather than go full Scary Movie, however, screenwriters Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip) and Dewayne Perkins are more interested in unleashing a barrage of hilarious jokes that poke fun at and celebrate Black culture overall — they just so happen to be spouted while characters play the titular sadistic, racist board game and are tormented by a mysterious masked killer.

The steady roll-out of humor, paired with just enough suspenseful moments — themselves punctuated by witty one-liners and/or silly actions — and carried out by a talented ensemble clearly having a blast together is more than enough to sustain interest and earn big laughs.

Among the mix of familiar and fresh faces playing these likable characters, Jermaine Fowler (Sorry to Bother You) is a consistent delight as the painfully nerdy Clifton; X Mayo (The Farewell)  spices things up as the mouthy Shanika; and co-writer Perkins saves some of the film’s funnest lines for his Dewayne.

Together, these classmates are comedically forced to solve math problems in Nas lyrics and test their knowledge of Friends, all while attempting to elude their pursuer’s crossbow. Though the camerawork is often rickety and little thought is put into the soundtrack, The Blackening is easily Story’s best work since Barbershop, and the director keeps the cast-wide chemistry flowing for 90-plus minutes, offering only a few moments for viewers to catch their breath.

Do all the kooky plot elements ultimately add up? Probably not. But when you’re laughing this much, it doesn’t matter.

Grade: B. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, and Regal Biltmore Grande.

(Photo: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate)