I consider myself a pretty big fan of horror movies. I am particularly a fan of “slasher films.” These movies depict a crazed killer, usually masked, chasing helpless victims, usually teenagers. This sub-genre has seen highs and lows over time, but they’ve never disappeared entirely. Like the best horror villains, slasher films always come back with a new trick up their sleeve. The newest twist on the genre is what I call the “remix slasher.” These films adapt ideas from past comedy films and apply them to a masked killer film. The most notable of these is the “Happy Death Day” series — inspired by the time-loop comedy “Groundhog Day” — and “Freaky,” based on the “Freaky Friday” films. The latest of these remix slashers is the recent Amazon Prime Video exclusive “Totally Killer.”
“Totally Killer” tells the story of a young woman named Jamie (“The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” star Kiernan Shipka), whose mother (“Modern Family” star Julie Bowen) is murdered in connection to a series of killings from three decades prior. The killer then turns their sights on Jamie. As she makes her escape into her friend Amelia’s prototype of a time machine, the time machine comes alive, sending her 35 years into the past right before the serial killer begins their rampage.
The film is clearly an homage to “Back to the Future,” with the main characters even discussing the film as a point of reference. Like Marty McFly, Jamie finds herself thrust into the middle of her parents’ formative years. Even worse, Jamie thinks her parents sucked as teenagers. The film is a horror-comedy, and much of the comedy comes from the culture shock that arises in the differences between the 1980s and the 2020s. Perhaps the greatest gag in the film is when the past’s sheriff (Randall Park) tosses a bag of blood aside since DNA technology was not relevant at the time.
In horror movies, the characters don’t always make the wisest decisions. This is why competent protagonist Jamie is such a breath of fresh air. Jamie’s mother taught her how to defend herself after surviving the original killing spree. Now that Jamie is in the past, she protects her now-teen mom (Olivia Holt). The film directly acknowledges “Back to the Future” and “Scream,” whose inspiration is clearly felt in the whodunnit-esque mystery of the killer’s identity. Additionally, many shots of the killer stalking Jamie are instantly recognizable to horror fans as an homage to classic slasher “Halloween.” However, I want to raise one further comparison: Jamie being sent to the past, albeit accidentally, and tasking herself with the protection of her mother and her friends is incredibly reminiscent of “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.”
I feel that movies set in the past, especially ones with a time-travel aspect, rely heavily on pop culture references to establish the period. “Totally Killer” does not fall into that trap, though the film does remain culturally aware. The film opts to forsake overreliance on pop culture humor and instead utilizes details such as costuming and set dressing to immerse the audience within the past — something I find “Back to the Future” does as well.
The film is genuinely entertaining, but it is not without its faults. Only the most important characters feel truly fleshed out and developed, with the ensemble cast feeling quite weak in comparison. Additionally, the film’s opening minutes focus so much on exposition and establishing the adults of the town so that the audience is aware of them once the time travel takes place. To be fair, I did not know it was a time travel movie when I started watching. If I had known, I am sure this would feel necessary and not as bothersome. Additionally, the masked killer reveal felt equally shoehorned in and completely predictable, a common trapping of masked killer slasher films.
“Totally Killer” is a fun take on time-travel films and a worthy slasher film in its own right. It’s a classic “masked killer mystery” that sticks the landing overall, even if some parts that make up the whole are a little shaky. This film is a fun way to spend an afternoon during this Halloween season.
Back to the slasher with ‘Totally Killer’
Trey Paine | The Observer
