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With Halloween coming up, it’s no big surprise that horror fans are binging and rewatching their favorite scary movies. Whether it be slashers, psychological horror or supernatural, there’s typically something for every type of horror fan. However, during this time of year, it’s also fun to check out a newly released scary movie or television show. This year, that movie is “Totally Killer” (2023) directed by Nahnatchka Khan and starring Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt and Julie Bowen. While multiple other horror movies and shows have been released this fall and more will be released later this year, many of them are part of a series. Take, for example, “The Nun II” (2023), “American Horror Story: Delicate” (2023) and “Saw X” (2023). On the other hand, “Totally Killer” is something fresh and brand new.
The movie takes place in a small town called Vernon, where three 16-year-old girls were murdered in 1987. The perpetrator was never caught and no other murders occurred— until 35 years later, in the present day. The audience is introduced to Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) and her family. Her mother, Pam (Julie Bowen), was friends with the three teens who were murdered, and to this day she is paranoid that she will be next. Pam’s suspicions are revealed as true when the killer comes back and claims her as his fourth victim. Jamie, unfortunately, comes face-to-face with this masked murderer as well and accidentally time travels back to 1987, a few days before the murder. From here, she decides to prevent the murders from ever happening while simultaneously navigating an unfamiliar culture and trying to befriend the teenage version of her mom.
“Totally Killer” was better than I expected, but I still wouldn’t say I loved it. I believe the premise was interesting, the acting was good and it was funny, but the plot was a little scrambled and the ending felt rushed. At the end, the “killer reveal” was slightly confusing yet unsurprising at the same time. It simply felt anticlimactic and the reasoning behind the killings felt random. Nevertheless, the film was comedic and fun to watch. The time travel aspect was also entertaining, especially with the addition of the movie being a slasher. It wasn’t on the same level of satire as the “Scream” series, but it didn’t seem like it was trying to be either. While I enjoyed the time travel to the ’80s, I do feel they could have done a better job with costume and set design. It didn’t feel “eighties” enough to me. However, historical accuracy wasn’t the point of the movie so it’s not something I feel needs to be harped on.
As someone who is not a huge fan of gore, I did not feel this movie was excessive with the murder scenes, but it was enjoyable and could still be classified as a slasher film. I would recommend this movie to anyone who isn’t a huge fan of scary movies with an unnecessary amount of gore. Still, in “Totally Killer” there is a good amount of jumpscares, gory scenes and enough mystery surrounding who the killer is that it piques interest. This may not be an enjoyable movie for scary movie fanatics, especially those who like deeply disturbing horror, unless they’re looking for something to laugh at.
While “Totally Killer” was pretty funny, I would not consider it a satire film, which is why I was a little put off by how insignificant some of the serious situations were treated. When an important character is murdered, there is a short period of visible devastation, but it wears off quickly. I don’t think this particular criticism matters very much, however, especially considering the movie isn’t exactly supposed to be taken seriously — it is considered a “black comedy,” though honestly I don’t think it’s funny or exaggerated enough to be considered that — but I still thought it was worth mentioning for those interested in watching. At some points, the movie feels like reading a bad Wattpad story where extremely traumatic events are tossed aside in order to continue with the main plot.
Overall, I enjoyed “Totally Killer” but I do think there are a lot of things, as mentioned previously, that could be improved upon. Due to this, I feel that it’s only a movie I can watch passively. While I have criticisms, I do not think the director wanted to make something deeply thought-provoking with an insane plot twist. It seems like they just wanted to create a fun scary movie that doesn’t take itself seriously, which is great for the Halloween season when you’re looking for a new horror movie to watch and laugh at. “Totally Killer” didn’t have me on the edge of my seat, but it was enjoyable for what it was.
Ava Werner is a third-year Psychology major with a minor in Women’s & Gender Studies. AW973732@wcupa.edu.