Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving is exactly what you’d expect from the director of Hostel; gory, outrageous, and packed with shocking kills. It’s a fun and bloody holiday slasher that’s entertaining enough if you enjoy Roth’s over-the-top style. The premise of a Thanksgiving-themed horror movie is a great idea, and the film delivers on some of that promise with creative kills and moments of real tension.
However, the movie doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential. For a concept like this, there was so much room to explore the holiday theme in clever and twisted ways, but it only skims the surface. Add to that a script that feels a bit weak and acting that’s hit or miss, and the movie doesn’t quite hit the heights it could have. While the gore and spectacle are solid, the lack of deeper characters and smarter writing makes it feel more like a fun distraction than something truly memorable.
Still, I enjoyed it overall. It’s thrilling in parts, messy in others, but it delivers enough chaos and bloodshed to make for a good time. If you like slasher films with campy vibes, Thanksgiving is worth a watch—just don’t expect a feast.