“The Blackening,” from writers Tracy Oliver (“Harlem,” “Little”) and Dewayne Perkins (“The Break with Michelle Wolf,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) and director Tim Story (“Taxi,” “Ride Along”), follows a group of friends holding a reunion over Juneteenth weekend at a remote cabin in the woods. When a mysterious killer forces them to play a game, they must use their horror knowledge to stay alive and escape their stalker.

While studio-backed horror comedies often rely on exhausted tropes, “The Blackening” tells an original story with its meta-writing and witty plot beats. The film takes horror cliches, such as splitting up or using unconventional weapons like rolling pins and other household items, and cleverly and naturally uses them to poke fun at classic slasher movies. While most horror comedies tend to lean less scary and more funny, the film successfully balances humor and terror. “The Blackening” includes moments where characters laugh at the unwise choices of ill-fated horror characters only to make the same decisions, like exploring dimly-lit, hidden back rooms. Despite these comedic bits, the movie crafts anxiety-inducing horror sequences, including a scene in which the protagonists are locked in a room and forced to watch the masked killer attack their friend.

“The Blackening” also incorporates commentary on the Black experience in modern America through characters who express uneasiness in rural towns and interactions with law enforcement. The film’s tagline — “we can’t all die first” — references horror’s problematic handling of Black characters in slashers, as explained by Xavier Burgin’s documentary “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror” featuring Black horror icons like William Crain and Ernest R. Dickerson. The movie even directly references Black actors in horror, like Jada Pinkett Smith’s appearance in the “Scream 2” cold open.

Although a common issue with slasher comedies concerns weak characters, this can’t be said for “The Blackening.” Every main character is fleshed out well and feels believable. There’s not a single bland character among the bunch, and every subplot and story arc revolving around the protagonists stays enjoyable throughout the runtime. This is largely due to the actors’ excellent cast chemistry and meticulous character-building. The actors build complete character backstories and make every action and decision feel realistic, from emotional responses in moments of distress to decision-making in life-or-death scenarios. 

“The Blackening” blends horror and comedy to leave audiences in a state of simultaneous laughter and terror, all within a comfortable hour-and-a-half runtime. Any filmmaker looking to attempt a future horror comedy should take notes.

4 laughs of terror out of 5