The Blackening (2023)

The Blackening is a comedy horror about a group of friends who are targeted in a series of sinister games while at a bed in breakfast.

I enjoy Tim Story movies, Barbershop, 2005's Fantastic Four, and Ride Along. He had a stinker last year with Tom & Jerry. He knows how to put a film together and there weren't any directorial choices that I found apparent.

The only issue I have with the writing is that it seems certain scenes were clearly written by Tracy Oliver, while others were written by Dewayne Perkins who also stars in the film. That's not to say the writing is bad. Some of it is on the nose of how these characters would interact with each other.

As far as the acting goes Antoinette Robertson is clearly more developed than the other actresses in the film. Not only was she believable but also she has the charisma to take the film to another level. Without her, this film would lose a few grades. Also, Melvin Gregg did a great performance with what he was given. He was put on the back burner through most of the movie but when he had to deliver dialogue he was much better than his counterpart Sinqua Walls.

I wouldn't recommend this movie to just anyone or even to most. It has a lot of humor that would go over most people's heads. It's still a good movie though. Result: B.

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