Horrors are few and far between on most streaming platforms. As a fan of the genre, I’m always delighted to stumble across such offerings.
I recently watched “Thanksgiving”, with Patrick Dempsey (aka McDreamy from “Grey’s Anatomy”) helming the cast.
That it had Eli Roth’s name all over it, was incentive enough. After all, he gave us “Cabin Fever” and “Hostel”. I am not a fan of “Hostel”, though.
The slasher horror opens on Thanksgiving, with the RightMart store also opening that night for its annual massive sale.
As the crowd outside grows restless, the situation snowballs into a stampede when Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque), the daughter of the owner Thomas (Rick Hoffman), sneaks her friends into the store to grab a few things.
Unfortunately, a few people are killed and injured in the stampede, including Amanda (Gina Gershon), who is the wife of the store manager Mitch (Ty Victor Olsson) and Jessica’s beau Bobby (Jalen Thomas Brooks), who, in trying to help, has his hand crushed, ending his sporting career.
A year later, the haunting memory of the incident returns as the unrepentant owner decides to resume the annual sale, which is supported by his trophy wife, Kathleen (Karen Cliche).
She was behind erasing the camera footage on the night of the riot.
Jessica and her friends start receiving social media posts, followed by several of them, including those residents who contributed to the stampede, meeting with an untimely and gruesome death.
As Jessica tries to unmask the killer, wearing a John Carver disguise, she seeks out the help of the town’s sheriff Eric Newlon (Dempsey).
The murders are gruesome and in keeping with the “Hostel” tone, where decapitation and a person being roasted in an oven while alive are among the punishments served.
The twist at the end will throw streamers for a loop. That said, this is a standard horror fare solely for fans.
∎ “Thanksgiving” is streaming on Netflix.