BLACK FRIDAY is a new horror-comedy with an awesome cast. Oh, and also, there are aliens of a sort that turn people into zombie-like creatures. Admittedly, I was hoping for more but the movie is still good fun. Read our full Black Friday movie review here!

BLACK FRIDAY is a horror-comedy about working in retail during Black Friday. Well, it also has aliens and other classic horror elements, but first, the monsters are people looking for a good deal.

Admittedly, I came for the amazing cast (more on that later), but I was also hoping for a better story than this delivered. There are some great moments along the way, but the comedy part isn’t very prevalent. I suppose I was hoping for more than this horror-comedy delivered. Maybe I just expected something different?!

Continue reading our Black Friday movie review below.

The horrors of Black Friday

For anyone who has ever worked retail during Black Friday, the setting will be very familiar. The story takes place in a toyshop right as the Black Friday sale begins and people lose their minds. Oh, and also, aliens of a sort attack and turn people into zombie-like creatures.

Before we get that far, Black Friday opens with us seeing people leaving their families on Thanksgiving. While everyone is enjoying a wonderful meal and relaxing, our main characters are heading off to work. After all, this is the biggest day of the year for retail.

I did also enjoy the interaction between employees. I’m just not sure if I enjoyed it mostly because I loved the cast or because it was actually well-written. I think the latter improved greatly from the former.

Black Friday –  Review – Horror Comedy with Bruce Campbell

A cast of iconic actors

I’ve seen people mention in IMDb reviews that this movie has lots of “no-name actors”. Which is so far from the truth that I felt personally violated from reading those wrong words. Of course, most people will recognize Bruce Campbell from all the Evil Dead movies as well as the series. Even if he does look an awful lot like John Cleese in this movie, which was quite a funny touch.

Among the other actors in this movie, you’ll see Devon Sawa who is in the current Chucky TV series and starred in Final Destination. One of the most popular (and definitely iconic) horror franchises currently still in existence.  Alongside him is Ryan Lee from J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 (2011) and Goosebumps (2015).

MORE DEVON SAWA

Read our review of Hunter Hunter which came out in 2020 and co-starred Devon Sawa >

Also, Ivana Baquero played the young girl in Guillermo del Toro’s 2006 Pan’s Labyrinth. She was the main character in a movie that won 3 Academy Awards and is a modern classic. Since then she’s been in the MTV series The Shannara Chronicles and the Netflix series High Seas.

MORE IVANA BASQUERO

Check out our review of Feedback which also had Ivana Basquero in the cast >

Watch Black Friday in theaters or On-Demand now!

Black Friday was directed by Casey Tebo who first began as a music video director. Something several of my favorite directors has done – perhaps most prominently David Fincher. Casey Tebo directed the Steven Tyler Out on a Limb (2018) documentary after his feature film debut with the horror-comedy Happy Birthday (2016).

Andy Greskoviak is the screenwriter behind this movie and I must admit I like the concept. I also enjoyed the details about the various characters which came out as the story progressed. This is the feature film debut for Andy Greskoviak, so hopefully, we have plenty of great things to see from him in the future.

Overall, this movie had a lot more potential than what it delivered. As a horror-comedy anyway. However, thanks to the cast (and some awesome scenes along the way), it is still worth watching. Just don’t expect too much and be ready for some craziness. Especially from those damn customers lining up for a good deal on Black Friday!

Black Friday is out in theaters in limited release on Nov. 19, and video on demand on Nov. 23, 2021.

Details

Director: Casey Tebo
Writer: Andy Greskoviak
Stars: Devon Sawa, Ivana Baquero, Ryan Lee, Bruce Campbell, Michael Jai White, Stephen Peck

Plot

On Thanksgiving night, a group of disgruntled toy store employees begrudgingly arrive for work to open the store at midnight for the busiest shopping day of the year. Meanwhile, an alien parasite crashes to Earth in a meteor. This group of misfits led by store manager Jonathan and longtime employee Ken soon find themselves battling against hordes of holiday shoppers who have been turned into monstrous creatures hellbent on a murderous rampage on Black Friday.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
Latest posts by Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard (see all)