Black Christmas (2019)

 

A lot of people hated this. A lot. It certainly did trigger a lot of people. I think those who considered this an important empowerment message, pointedly targeted specific kinds of people, addressed issues they considered vital for contemplation and conversation, and made sure their feminist beliefs were front and center really were all in and that will polarize a certain viewer. This film isn't exactly nuanced. Those who made this film didn't pull back, they took off the gloves and knuckled very specific people they have a problem with. Sisters at a sorority, particularly Kris (Aleyse Shannon), are vocal about wanting a certain professor (Cary Elwes) ousted from a university with a history they consider problematic. The very name of the university represents to Kris a toxic symbol of the white male patriarchy, and through her advocacy gets a bust of Calvin Hawthorne removed. Again, this film lacks subtlety. There is no subtlety. You clearly read this film like a book. It's very political in what its messaging. But with all the hate wielded against the film, I think they more than likely anticipated backlash. I know that the initial trailer (I didn't watch it for this very reason) provoked backlash in how much was revealed. I know that many of the horror community called this Woke Christmas. But there is an audience for this film, most definitely. I do think for that audience, who believes in the message and these young women in the film, this will land. But if you are of a particular political or personal persuasion (or race and gender), the other reaction just has to be expected. But that's the point. Those who made this wanted to provoke a response because their message is powerful to them. There is a scene where one of the sisters has a boyfriend who seems to be welcome into the group of young women. But after the sisters perform a little song and dance in provocative Santa outfits about a sexual assault that happened to Imogen Poots' Riley, Kris posts it online and it causes a fervor all over campus, and that one guy takes offense, sent away by his girlfriend after arguing against their decision to do it, claiming that not all men are misogynistic toxic rapist assholes. I imagined plenty of viewers calling it quits, cutting the film off, or at least very uncomfortably squirming...probably the point. At least that one guy comes back to apologize, wanting to help defend his injured girlfriend. He dies for that, but at least he was one of a few guys in the film that isn't a total villain. The sisters who performed that song and dance are hunted by a bunch of guys in black cloaks and masks, seemingly in retaliation. Could it be the noxious frat brotherhood defending their toxic masculinity? 

This does have some Christmas aesthetic to it, though, so all the colors are accounted for as are the iconograph associated with the holiday season. The lights are parsed about to provide plenty of reds, greens, and blues. The PG-13 rating was a major sticking point with the onslaught of negativity. The violence is avoided for the most part, with the sound design depended on to emphasize stabbing and slashing and bashing. The angle with the black blood and possession with that Cawthorne bust probably was a deal breaker. The Cawthorne blood and the incantation that moves men to take back their power and "revert" women to where they consider them belonging, subservient to men...yeah, that was especially direct and on the nose. And then Kris and some of her sisters arrive, Riley initially on her own and being choked nearly to death, the women bring the fight to Elwes professor and his frat Deke brotherhood, defeating them. The women leave the frat building as it burns to flames, having conquered those nasty white men. Yeah, the film's message isn't exactly subtle. I imagine, though, this did generate some raucous applause. Others, not so much.

As far as the 1974 film, it still stands alone. It remains the classic film that many of us return to every year. While this 2019 film has its very intended target audience, I feel the 1974 film remains a broadly appealing horror film that seems to only grow in its popularity. But while that has a protagonist that chills the bones, and is basically someone quite disturbed and broken, the 2019 film has villains that are politically weaponized and represent a part of the country (world?), a good many, that will certainly rail against how they are portrayed. But that is to be expected.

***I did fail to mention how awesome Imogen is in the film as the trauma victim, considered a liar by a lot of people on campus for coming forward with a rape allegation against a popular jock, claiming she was roofied and raped. The weight she carries, especially in the beginning, and how over the film Poots has to gradually gain in strength, a lot contributed to Kris' gusto, is shot right in closeup. With all the shit splat at the film, to just disregard what Poots offers here would be irresponsible. By the end, she gets to actually physically fight her sexual attacker and see him annihilated, the film does provide a catharsis. And the film offers her a love interest who always seems very uncomfortably sandwiched in between the Cawthorn frats and the feminist sisters, but by the end despite the "lure of the toxic alpha" (in the form of a severe headache that chimes in) he thwarts that animal wanting control to help the young ladies vanquish their foes.