If you like cheesy horror movies, you will find something you like in All my friends are dead. Led by Marcus Dunstanthe main roles in the film Jade Pettyjohn as Sarah, a girl who travels with her “friends”. But despite her number of followers on social media, Sarah would rather stay off the radar. After the death of her friend Colette, they are all back together (JoJo Siwa) and when their car breaks down, the group has to stay in an Airbnb until it is repaired.

This premise is not very different from most slasher films, but what works for All my friends are dead is it recognizes that it is not so unique. The murders begin as allusions to the Seven Deadly Sins, you think Kevin Spacey‘s murderous personality in the David Fincher filmSe7en. Just when I was about to make fun of how it wasn’t an original way to kill someone, the film itself says exactly that. Shot with the energy of 80s slasher films but with the modern flair of iPhones playing a big role in the story, the film gives a new generation a way to look at slasher films. Horror as a genre can say a lot and what All my friends are dead about social media and connectivity, something is lost at the end of the film when all the secrets come to light. However, Sarah as the main character is not the downfall of this film.

“All My Friends Are Dead” proves that Pettyjohn is a new favorite in horror films

I loved Pettyjohn since she starred in Karyn Kusama’s film destroyer, but it was surprising to see how Good She plays a parody of a “Final Girl”. With our modern sensibilities, we can watch old slasher films and recognize her immediately. Even if we didn’t know that Jamie Lee Curtis was the blueprint of them in Halloweenwe can now watch this movie and see how her “Final Girl” personality is formed.

From the moment we meet Pettyjohn in the film, she has this feeling about her. You know the whole time that if anyone was going to make it out of this situation alive, it’s her. And not in an “oh, that’s obvious” way or even a spoiler way. She’s just the only character we meet who has anything like a head on her shoulders. Pettyjohn’s portrayal of Sarah is one of the best horror performances and It is a driving force everywhere All my friends are dead.

“All My Friends Are Dead” has a new kind of “Scream” vibe

Maybe it’s the social media addiction of these characters or just the way Dunstan filmed it to make it feel as if it had been taken with an iPhone, but something about this film feels like a new Scream-esque franchise. Whether this is a one-off slasher film or one with potential for more is unclear at the end of the film, but I like the idea of ​​continuing this story. Each of Sarah’s so-called “friends” is more mindless than the next. That doesn’t make her death any less sad, but there’s that sick kind of satisfaction that comes with slasher movies when you don’t necessarily care about the people you’re watching meet their untimely end.

It’s hard to see these influencers all being taken out in absolutely gruesome ways, but that’s just how the genre works. I wish we could play more with the seven deadly sins aspect, because they admit other Murderers do that sort of thing, and while we didn’t see it in this movie, I wouldn’t mind if it spawned a new kind of franchise for these characters. What I find so funny about All my friends are dead as a slasher is that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. And it still manages to create a twist that leaves you wanting more stories from this universe. So if you fancy a good slasher flick that doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, then All my friends are dead fits perfectly!

REVIEW

#AMFAD: All my friends are dead (2024)

All My Friends Are Dead isn’t the most imaginative horror film, but it’s still fun when it counts.

Per

• The film is a cheesy fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
• Jade Pettyjohn delivers an outstanding performance and perfectly embodies the horror finale girl.
• The way everything is constructed is reminiscent of the best parts of horror classics like Scream.

Disadvantages

• The film would have benefited from playing more with its premise.
• Whatever is meant to be said on social media ends up being lost.

All my friends are dead is available to stream on VOD in the US

Watch on VOD