The Blackening

It’s a classic horror set-up: seven friends staying in a remote cabin with moody lighting discover they’re trapped with a killer who’s trying to pick them off one by one. Except, the film asks, if all the characters are Black, who dies first?

These friends, whose brilliant chemistry carries not only the horror but also a series of delightfully heartfelt subplots, have only one way to survive – the Blackening, a trivia game seemingly hosted by a racist version of the Monopoly Man, which asks them questions like ‘name five Black actors who guest starred on Friends?’ and reward correct answers with a few extra moments of safety. When they get a question wrong, they become fair game for the killer.

Billed as a quintessentially Black comedy, interspersed with just the right amount of classic slasher, this film encourages you to bring your friends and shout at the screen at every bad decision its (remarkably self-aware) characters make. It's gory and tense, but still contains more jokes than jump-scares – if, like me, you love the idea of horror but find yourself unable to sleep for weeks afterwards, this could be the Halloween film for you!

Liv Lancastle