Light spoilers for The Blackening lie ahead, so read at your own risk.
The Blackening, one of the latest entries on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases, aims to give audiences some good scares. However, this is a horror comedy we’re talking about, which means the filmmakers also sought to throw in plenty of laughs. A person who’s aware of that is Dewayne Perkins, who co-wrote the script and plays the role of Dewayne. The comedian, alongside fellow scribe Tracy Oliver, dropped in more than a few great quips. Yet there are two wild jokes, in particular, that Perkins is most proud to have come up with.
This Tim Story-directed flick centers on a group of friends who reunite for a weekend at a cabin in celebration of Juneteenth and end up being pawns in a sadistic killer’s game. While there are jump scares, there are also plenty of A+ zingers that’ll keep audiences talking for a while. I was fortunate enough to speak with Dewayne Perkins and his co-stars X Mayo and Jermaine Fowler during the junket for the new movie. With his keen knack for comedy in mind, I couldn’t help but ask him about his favorite jokes from the film. He easily named two, and the first is one that’s muttered early on during this frighteningly funny tale:
One of them is when Sinqua [Walls]’ character calls Melvin [Gregg]'s character, his wife, a bitch. And [King’s] like,’Did you call my wife a bitch? And [Nnamdi’s] like, ‘Oh no, bitch in the colloquial sense. Like, “Hey bitch, are you gonna finish that quesadilla?”’ I don't know why that is so funny to me. And I remember writing that and being like, ‘I'm gonna change this later. This is so dumb.’ And then it never changed. I was like, ‘That’s funny.’
I definitely have to agree with the Amber Ruffin Show alum on this one. To be honest, I definitely wouldn’t condone anyone referring to another person’s wife in such a way. However, you simply can’t help but laugh at the manner in which Nnamdi tries to rationalize his slip of the tongue. Many who’ve seen The Blackening surely got a good laugh out of this moment, but I’d be willing to bet money that the co-writer’s other favorite wisecrack has moviegoers cackling:
And then in the game room, the question of what does the NAACP stand for? That's my favorite joke. Negros At Applebee's Cooking Pasta. It really makes me laugh.
That line comes into play when the central characters are playing the titular game, and it’s well-written and deftly delivered. Dewayne Perkins has been making a name for himself within the comedy landscape over the past several years. With credits like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Upshaws and the Saved by the Bell reboot under his belt, he’s had the opportunity to flex his funny bones in a number of ways. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that he managed to inject some many sweet pieces of dialogue into this feature film.
The Blackening Reviews Are In, See What Critics Are Saying About The Horror Comedy
Of course, in addition to the jokes, he and Tracy Oliver had to sharply blend humor and frights so that audiences get a somewhat equal dose of both. It would seem that their efforts were mostly successful, considering the positive reviews The Blackening has received. What’s also impressive is that the two scribes some witty remarks that really speak to the Black experience. Ultimately, those help contribute to a story that provides a little social commentary and avoids age-old tropes regarding people of color in even some of the best horror movies.
The jokes fly fast and furiously in the film at times, so audiences are really going to pay close attention so that they don’t miss anything. Dewayne Perkins, Tracy Oliver and co. seem to have put a lot of time and effort into making this production feel fresh and authentic. And that’s something I think viewers will appreciate when they see it.
Lionsgate’s The Blackening is now playing in theaters. After you’ve checked it out, take a look at CinemaBlend’s schedule of upcoming horror movies to learn about scary fare that’s coming down the pike.
