Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writer: M.A. Fortin, Joshua John Miller (Screenplay)
Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Nina Dobrev, Malin Akerman, Alia Shawkat, Chloe Bridges, Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Angela Trimbur, Cory Hart, Dave Davis, Bryce Romero
Plot: A young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom’s most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film’s maniacal killer.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Brilliant Horror Comedy
Story: The Final Girls starts as Amanda Cartwright (Akerman) a famous slasher star from the 80s and now a single mother of Max (Farmiga) is struggle to find work in the modern era of cinema. But this is a horror film and we need a tragedy which is Amanda dying in a car crash.
Three years later Max is at college age struggling through when her step-brother Duncan (Middleditch) and her best friend Gertie (Shawkat) talk her into a special screening of her mother’s cult film Camp Bloodbath along with an old friend Vicki (Dobrev) who is the total diva. At the screening a freak fire leads the friends running for their lives only to find themselves inside the movie.
When the friends find they can be killed they must come up with a plan not only to survive but get out of the movie alive.
The Final Girls mixes the idea of horror and comedy perfectly to make this one of the best original ideas in recent years. The concept of having a film within a film works because we get to see how different the teenagers of two different generation clash. The idea of half the cast knowing where the film will go but try to change it gives the film a time travel element too. The fact this has a comic tone it also manages to have a serious tone. This is an original story that really works well making this one that is very enjoyable.
Actor Review
Taissa Farmiga: Max Cartwright is the daughter of a former scream queen, after her mother dies she finds herself alone in the world. After getting talked into a screening of her mother’s cult film she finds herself inside the movie getting to spend time with her mother and potentially change her career while trying to save her friends. Taissa is good in this leading role.
Nina Dobrev: Vicki is the diva of the friends, she used to be best friends with Max but the two had become distant. She is the bitchy friend which she understands would make her one of the easy victims in the film. Nina is good in this role where she is perfect fit for the role.
Malin Akerman: Amanda Cartwright/Nancy, Amanda is the mother of Max who died early on Nancy is the character in Camp Bloodbath that Max gets to spend time with as they try to change the script. Malin does a good job in this role where she does take dual roles.
Alexander Ludwig: Chris is the guy that has the hots for Max, he comes off very nervous but supportive to Max. his ex-girlfriend is Vicki turns up at the screening. He gets stuck in the movie too where he must help to protect the girls. Alexander is good in this role fitting the leading male character.
Support Cast: The Final Girls has the supporting cast you would expect to see in this style of film which all work out brilliant with Angela Trimbur and Adam Devine stealing nearly every single scene.
Director Review: Todd Strauss-Schulson – Todd gives us a horror comedy that comes off original while paying the respect to the 80s movies.
Comedy: The Final Girls is filled with laughs poking plenty of fun at the genre without being a parody.
Horror: The Final Girls pays respect to the horror side of the story without being scary.
Settings: The Final Girls puts most of the film in the camping grounds and is trapped in the area with a different idea because instead of being isolated we get the trapped idea.
Special Effects: The Final Girls has great effects used through the film when needed be it with the kills or change between era.
Suggestion: The Final Girls is one that all horror fans should watch, this is one of the most original ideas in film. (Horror Fans Watch)
Best Part: Tina is hilarious.
Worst Part: Nothing too much.
Funniest Scene: Tina trying to escape.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Hopefully.
Post Credits Scene: Bloopers.
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes
Overall: Brilliant horror comedy with laughs around every corner.
Rating
