Just like most other college campuses around Christmas time, Hawthorne College is nearly empty. With just a handful of college students left during the holiday season, things are a bit quieter than usual. However, on this Black Christmas, an unknown individual haunts those who remain behind. A hooded figure travels from sorority to sorority murdering the students on campus, until one of the more prominent female houses decides to fight back. The women of Mu Kappa Epsilon determine that they must be the ones to put an end to the killing streak and are willing to do whatever it takes to save the Christmas season.
Black Christmas is, in no way, other than the mention of the word, a Christmas film. With little to no connection to the holiday other than the fact that college classes are coming to a close and individuals are heading home to be with loved ones, Black Christmas leads viewers on a bit, making them believe that there would be a stronger connection to the jolliest holiday of the year. The promises that Blumhouse makes to potential viewers is that Black Christmas will be a slasher film directly related to Christmas, and while the film does not necessarily have to play out in this fashion, viewers certainly have expectations going in that they hope to have fulfilled.
The film takes a long time to develop; nearly three quarters of Black Christmas is spent watching the characters, including Riley (Imogen Poots), the star of the film. There is almost no mention of Christmas, and all of the murders throughout this portion of the film take place off screen. Until the more prominent characters in the film become aware of what is occuring around them the story drags at a snail’s pace. With the exception of the acting throughout the rising action of the film, much of what is taking place feels tired and uninspired.
Poots, along with newcomer Aleyse Shannon (Kris), are what hold Black Christmas together for the first hour or so. While there is something pretentious about both
Riley and Kris, viewers are able to identify with their passion and their drive. They are headstrong individuals who attempt to make the world their oyster and show everyone around them that women are just as powerful as men. Even with their strong, feminist demeanors, male viewers are able to find connections between themselves and the characters on screen, and appreciate how endearing their go-getter attitudes can be throughout Black Christmas.
In the final act of Black Christmas promises of a slasher film are finally delivered on. Viewers can see a series of heinous acts being committed, on screen, for the first time, inviting them into a world of aggression and death. It takes some time to get there, and it would be unfair to say that it was entirely worth the wait. However, the final twenty-ish minutes does make up for, to some degree, the sluggish nature of the rest of Black Christmas. While the film still falls short of expectations, there is a sense of redemption present in its final act, giving viewers a reason to stick around and not be completely disappointed.
Directed by Sophia Takal. Written by Sophia Takal & April Wolfe. Starring Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue, Brittany O’Grady, Caleb Eberhardt, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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