Splatter: on FILM

Don’t watch it alone. Or in the dark. It’s a horror film, but it’s also one of the sharpest and most poignant social commentaries to date.Just as SNL can tackle any political joust adeptly through comedy, so somehow this innocent seeming horror flick lays out an eerie Lottery-esque (a la Shirley Jackson) satire and allows a unique look at perceptions from the eyes of black Americans regarding common stereotypes around interracial coupling, police brutality, economic status levels, even physical make-up.
The entire film builds smoothly and thoughtfully to its absolutely terrifying finale. Know the genre and the rating going in, as it is rife with hard R language and frightening content – including a few jump scares.Throughout, the bread crumbs are there to be found. (Without spoilers), watch for a reference to picking cotton, parallels between the gorgeous photographs in the beginning and the layers of dialogue, and my favorite: the famous slogan (look up its origin) “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.”