Slumber Party Massacre (2021)

Directed by Danishka Esterhazy

★★★½

SyFY’s Slumber Party Massacre

I find myself continually surprised by the amount of remakes (be it in a film or tv show format) of classic horror that is coming out this month (October 2021). As a huge fan of horror, especially 80s slashers, I had no idea that Slumber Party Massacre was getting a remake, let alone that it was coming out in a matter of weeks. So I looked up the trailer, expecting some possible Halloween (2018) vibes, and, boy, was I disappointed. The trailer offers up a bland-looking slasher with a dumb villain and terrible actors, that would be bad, even in the 80s. So, I thought I’d take one for the team, and be the one out of my crew to endure this for a review… and I’m so glad I did.

Slumber Party Massacre is an ambitious, multi-faceted remake that plays with genres and does a tight-rope act with its tonal shifts. What starts out as a banal-looking knockoff, turns into a smartly gruesome, feminist power slasher. Simultaneously a parody, slasher and a satire, the film evokes a knowing wink-and-a-nod feel that doesn’t always work, but when it does, it sticks the landing.

There is also a love for the flawed original that is present. The over-acted villain still has his giant phallic drill, which he uses to slaughter unlucky teens. There are multiple call-backs to the original, with a clever twist thanks to director Danishka Esterhazy (The Banana Splits Movie), including a near perfect callback to Slumber Party Massacre 2, that made my soul happy. The new version still has its slow-motion shower scene, pillow fights and nudity, but not in the way you would expect.

The film beautifully transitions between scenes that are flat out hilarious and those that are stomach churning. If you’re worried the film leans more into the laughs than the scares, it does, but compensates with the bloody disgusting practical effects.

Ultimately, this unexpectedly sure-footed remake is filled with unique characters (and actors who know exactly what movie they are in), gruesome kills and hilariously heavy-handed schlock. Paired with the remake of Wrong Turn earlier this year, 2021 has turned into a strong year for surprisingly good classic slasher reiterations.