Thriller – Netflix Movie Review (2/5)

Thriller (2018) is a new movie on Netflix in the horror-thriller genre. It starts out with potential but ends up full of clichés and stereotypes. Read more about the Blumhouse production in our review here and watch it on Netflix!

Thriller is a new movie on Netflix in the horror-thriller genre. The little indie production was picked up by Blumhouse which tends to be a good thing for horror fans. This was also the case with the recent Netflix horror movie addition Mercy Black.

Recommended reading: Check out our review of the Blumhouse horror movie Mercy Black which is also on Netflix >

You can watch the movie on Netflix now or check out our spoiler-free review of Thriller to set your expectations accordingly!

A classic horror opening

The opening segment of Thriller feels like a classic 80s horror movie. A cruel prank has a fatal outcome and we all know revenge will be the name of the game. Then we jump four years into the future where the plot unfolds.

You will see quite a lot of familiar faces, which is awesome. Actors like Vanessa Bell Calloway (Daylight), Vanessa Williams (Candyman), Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump) as well as Hip Hop artist and producer RZA.

These actors are all in minor supporting roles. The main cast is full of stereotypes that actually feel both relevant and poignant at first but eventually turn into boring clichés.

I really wanted to like Thriller because I love movies with casts that aren’t just the same old boring white teens. However, the plot and characters of this Blumhouse movie are just not working for me. It’s not serious enough to work as a truly terrifying horror movie and missed its opportunity to be a dark horror comedy.

As a horror comedy, I think Thriller would have been much better off and could’ve reached a huge audience on Netflix.

Watch Thriller (2018) on Netflix now!

Dallas Jackson directed and co-wrote Thriller along with Ken Rance. Previously, Dallas Jackson has produced on the TV series Rebel and South of Nowhere.

He also wrote for the latter as well as the feature film screenplay for the comedy Uncle P (2007). The Thriller screenplay is the only thing he’s written since and this movie also marks his debut as a director.

To me, Thriller had so much potential when it started, but the final half was just a huge let-down. Still, I do think this movie will find its audience on Netflix. It’s by no means bad, but it could have been so much better.

Thriller is out on Netflix in the US from April 14, 2019.

Details

Director: Dallas Jackson
Cast: Noah Abbott, Johnny Alexander, Jessica Allain, Mykelti Williamson, Luke Tennie, Tequan Richmond, Paige Hurd, Chelsea Rendon, Mitchell Edwards, Pepi Sonuga, Jason Woods, Maestro Harrell, and Michael Ocampo

Plot

What starts out as a cruel but innocent childhood prank turns deadly when introvert target Chauncey Page (Jason Woods) accidentally kills one of his tormentors. With their friend dead and young Chauncey sent to prison, the children at fault swallow their guilt and get on with their lives as best they can. Years later Chauncey is released. A tall, intimidating figure, his return to the neighborhood conjures uncomfortable feelings for the kids, now teenagers, who fear that he may want to confront them about the horrible past. With their high school preparing for Homecoming and parties and romance at the forefront of their minds, everyone is traumatized when members of their crew start turning up murdered in increasingly gruesome ways. It becomes clear that Chauncey wants far more than a simple apology—he wants revenge.