THE FINAL GIRLS
Released by Sony Pictures
Review by Adam Mast
One doesn’t generally use the words “affectionate” and “adorable” when describing a slasher flick but then, director Todd Strauss-Schulson’s wonderfully creative THE FINAL GIRLS isn’t exactly a conventional work of horror. This love letter to the likes of Jason Voorhees briskly cruises along by way of a meta vibe that might remind one of CABIN IN THE WOODS. It definitely has a bit of a PLEASANTVILLE ring to it as well. In fact, this flick is so meta in the way that it plays with and deconstructs specific genre tropes that another appropriate title for this wildly entertaining movie might have been THE LAST SLASHER HERO.
In THE FINAL GIRLS, teen Max Cartwright (played by Taissa Farmiga) struggles to cope with the tragic and untimely death of her loving mother Amanda (played by Malin Akerman), an 80’s scream queen primarily known for her work in a popular slasher film called CAMP BLOODBATH. Through a strange, fantastical phenomenon, Max and her high school pals find themselves magically transported into the CAMP BLOODBATH universe where ultimately, the grieving teen teams with her own mom in an effort to defeat a psychopath hell bent on murdering anyone he comes into contact with. Yes, this is essentially a mother/daughter story, but with quite an innovative twist.
What a joy THE FINAL GIRLS is. Some might be quick to suggest that perhaps this flick is a little too clever and cute for its own good, but the truth is, the key to its overall success is its sheer likability. What really separates this picture from a lot of the films its skewering is that it gives us characters worth caring about. Malin Akerman is fantastic in this movie. In fact, it might be her career best. As Amanda’s daughter Max, Taissa Farmiga (the real life sister of Vera Farmiga) is a natural. She’s vulnerable and sweet in equal measure. Together, Akerman and Farmiga’s mother/daughter bond feels genuine. So genuine in fact, that the end of THE FINAL GIRLS was far more emotionally satisfying then I thought possible for a film of this nature.
While Akerman and Farmiga are the glue that hold this flick together, they are assisted by a terrific supporting cast. The standouts are Adam DeVine as an ego-maniacal lady’s man and a positively hilarious (and gorgeous) Angela Trimbur as the token slutty camp counselor (her hyped up dance sequence is amongst this film’s many notable highlights.)
If I have a complaint here, it’s that I wish THE FINAL GIRLS were a little longer. The film has great pacing and never outstays its welcome but had it been just a tad longer, and had Max and Amanda’s CAMP BLOODBATH character had more time to bond in the movie universe, THE FINAL GIRLS might have emerged as an instant classic. As it stands, it’s still one of the most entertaining movies of the year.
With its imaginative deconstruction and endless winks at the numerous films that inspired it, THE FINAL GIRLS is sure to appeal to fans of slasher movies but there’s so much heart, warmth, humor, and playfulness here, that even if this genre isn’t you’re bag, you too are likely to succumb to its many charms.
THE FINAL GIRLS won the Audience Choice Award at this year’s fest, and it was completely deserving of the honor. It’s a damn shame that audiences have to wait until October to discover this gem for themselves, but then, October is a perfect time to see it.
Check out the first clip from THE FINAL GIRLS;
