Mild spoilers for Netflix's Totally Killer lie ahead, so read at your own risk.
Generally speaking, I’m not a “horror movie” fan. I’d much rather sit back and enjoy a funny comedy, heartfelt romance or maybe even a Disney movie or two. However, I have always had a love and appreciation for the 1980s (even before Stranger Things brought back '80s nostalgia and made it popular). So when I heard about Blumhouse’s new horror comedy, Totally Killer, which is partially set in 1987, I knew I had to watch it. And not only did I check it out, but I also survived and loved every second of it.
For anyone who is not aware of the movie, Totally Killer can best be described as Scream meets Back to the Future. In the movie, after a series of shocking murders, the serial killer responsible disappears, only to resurface 35 years later to kill a fourth victim with ties to the original three. The killer isn’t done, though, as they set their sights on the daughter of the fourth victim. While running for her life, Jamie (Kieran Shipka) gets in her best friend's time machine and accidentally transports herself to 1987. Determined to save her mother from her fate and hopefully the other three victims as well, Jamie sets out to stop the killer once and for all in 1987. Yeah, this is a flick you need to see.
The Trailer For Totally Killer Totally Hooked Me
As a massive film fan, I know my fears often mean I miss out on some great horror movies. Mostly avoiding an entire genre also means I miss out on phenomenal acting performances, like Jenna Ortega's great work in the latest Scream movies. After stumbling upon the trailer for Totally Killer, I knew this was one offering I just couldn’t miss, even if I had to watch it through nearly closed hands!
I mean, time travel? A Gen-Z teen confronting '80s culture? Girls taking down a serial killer? Comedic moments? References to '80s movies? It checked off all my boxes! Not to mention, it stars some of my favorite up-and-coming actors like Kiernan Shipka and Charlie Gillespie (who's known for Netflix's whimsical musical series Julie and the Phantoms). I honestly felt like I owed it to them to support their flourishing careers. So, this weekend, I popped some popcorn, grabbed my family, and hit play on my first horror movie.
Why I Ended Up Totally Loving The Movie
While I was expecting to watch most of the movie through my hands, I ended up not being able to look away. The slasher feature was entertaining from start to finish and a perfect foray into the horror genre for people like myself, who claims to hate such movies.
Jamie is a captivating protagonist, who doesn’t fall into the usual Gen-Z character stereotypes I’ve come to expect in movies and TV shows. In addition to being smart and witty, she isn’t afraid to put anyone in their place. That includes her own parents and their friends, when she gets transported back to 1987 and is forced to confront the problematic views of the time. "You can't call someone Fat Trish," Jamie points out time and time again.
Totally Killer didn’t shy away from poking fun at the decade while also being a love letter to its cultural influence, which director Nahnatcha Khan talked about at length while appearing on our own ReelBlend podcast. I laughed out loud when it was pointed out that the mean girls are called “the Mollys” because they all dress like '80s icon Molly Ringwald. Seeing Jamie’s frustration when the police threw away her DNA evidence because her genetic info didn’t exist back then was both hilarious and eye-opening. And don't even get me started on the downright hilarious "pot brownie" scene that left her unaffected while the others were higher than kites.
Though Totally Killer has some pretty amazing horror sequences (which I'll talk about in a minute), what really had me glued to my seat was the lead character's relationships with her teen parents and their friends (who she also knew in the future). Another entertaining factor was her race against the clock to get back to her own time. It was fun watching the movie debunk time travel tropes and come up with it own. The revised rules also made Jamie’s life a bit easier since she didn’t have to worry about making herself disappear like poor Marty McFly in Back to the Future.
Maybe I Am A Fan Of Horror Films After All ?
Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the fun and funny moments in Totally Killer the most. But the biggest plot twist of all (minus the one in the movie) was that I ended up enjoying all the horror elements of the movie, too!
The stalking sequences were intense and full of dramatic music. Meanwhile, the chase sequences were also great, especially the one near the end where the characters try to take down the killer in a carnival house of horrors attraction. Jamie’s ability to adjust the timeline kept me on my toes as I tried to figure out the mystery of who the killer was alongside her. What also upped the suspense was the fact that Jamie could have become a victim of the 1987 killings due to her presence in the time period.
Speaking of the kills, they were definitely killer. I mean, stabbing someone sixteen times is pretty brutal. And yet, the cast and crew made the kills entertaining in ways I never would have imagined, like having the first victim die on a waterbed. (That's so '80s!) I'd also like to take a moment to shout out adult Pam (Julie Bowen) from the future, who put up an epic fight when confronted by the killer. Now, that's how you hit back!
With all my fear surrounding horror movies, I forgot to consider that there are subgenres. After enjoying Totally Killer so much, I decided to finally check out Scream, a classic slasher film, and ended up loving it, too! While I might not be a fan of horror at large, I think it’s safe to say I am on my way to becoming a fan of slasher movies.
Even if you’re not big on scary fare, I suggest checking out Totally Killer, which you can stream using a Prime Video subscription. And if you’re already in love with spooky stuff, check out all the upcoming horror movies still slated to be released this year.
