My first impression, just by looking at the movie poster, that I got from Totally Killer was that it’s a slasher film. Probably done in the current comedy horror wave that is sweeping the country. Then I found out it also features time travel. Excuse me??? Is this movie trying to be my new bestie? I’m a sucker for time travel movies (and books and TV shows for that matter) so this seems perfect to me. Totally Killer is directed by Nahnatchka Khan who is mostly known for creating comedic TV shows like Fresh off the Boat and Young Rock. Starring is Kiernan Shipka (The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Mad Men) as Jamie Hughes a high school teenager who lives is a town where a serial killer once claimed three victims back in 1987. The Sweet 16 Killer, as he is known, killed three girls on the night of their Sweet 16 birthdays. Not only that but he stabs them each sixteen times.
On Halloween night in the present day, Pam, who was best friends with the victims back in ’87 is home alone handing out candy. Pam, who is also Jamie’s mom, is played by Julie Bowen (Modern Family and Ed) is attacked and killed by The Sweet 16 Killer who has come back after 35 years. Afterwards, it is revealed that Pam had received a note from the killer back in ‘87 that read: You’re next one day”. Later, Jamie is chased by the same killer. Meanwhile, Jamie’s friend Amelia has made a time machine that she wants to enter in the school science fair. Dahfuq? Jamie, fleeing from the killer, hides inside the time machine. The time machine is activated and transports Jamie back to 1987. While there Jamie concocts a plan where if she stops the serial killer in the past, he won’t be able to kill her mom in the present. In 1987 Jamie meets her own mother Pam when she was in high school along with her friends who were the original victims. Jamie wants to try and save her mom even if Pam and her friends are the original “mean girls” and bully Jamie when they first meet her.
As you know, with most travel stories changes made in the past ripple through time and affect the present sometimes in the oddest ways. Paradoxes be damned! Also starring is Olivia Holt (Cloak & Dagger and Cruel Summer) as teenager Pam. Jamie’s father Blake is played by Charlie Gillespie (Runt and The Rest of Us) and Lochlyn Munro (White Chicks and Scary Movie) in the ’87 version and current age version. Playing Tiffany, one of the killers original victims in 1987, is Liana Liberto also seen in Scream VI and Dig. Totally Killer, while not without it’s faults, does not fail to entertain. The film adds a twist with the time traveling heroine that changes the normal game of the “final girl”. What we end up with is a serial killer story placed in 1987, which the film captures well and I should know I was about the same age as the kids in the movie in ’87, and then spiced up with some “Back to the Future” vibes. I give Totally Killer three and a half Gravitrons out of five.
Yeah, I had a lot of fun with this one. And don't be so 'daguq!" about her friend casually building a time machine. I mean, it happens. I remember you yourself built on too . . . . . . well, i think it was more of a GRIME machine but you know what I'm sayin'.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mentioning that I built a time machine. There's an entire Cerpts CD dedicated to when I did and then time traveled and I could tell you more but then, ya know, spoilers darling.
DeleteThis is ALSO true HOWEVER I myself went back in time with my own portable tesseract and unlearned all that.
DeleteI think you're on the verge of creating a paradox. If not a pair there's at least one of them
DeleteI enjoyed this, too. Something different and done well.
ReplyDelete