Detention (2011)
Summary
Genre: Comedy, HorrorGoodies:
+ Meta slasher comedic fun with time travel, + Contemporary film that takes place in the 90s, but feels like the 80sBaddies:
- Can be overwhelming to deal with all of the plot madness happening at the same time, - Does rely heavily on tropes to advance all plot elementsAs a killer named Cinderhella stalks the student body at the high school in Grizzly Lake, a group of co-eds band together to survive while they’re all serving detention.
Detention is one of those films that throws a bunch of different things in a pot and says, “take what you will.” The film is part horror, part comedy, part teen dramedy, and a lot of “what the hell.” I originally heard about the film through the /Film podcast where they had the director speaking about the film. The general conversation about a serial killer running rampant through a 90s teen flick sounded fun, and that is exactly what it was. Cinderhella, the serial killer, only plays a small focus in the lives of a retro 90s themed film. The film is about relationships, it is about exposing cinematic tropes, and above all, it is about creating a space to do whatever the hell you want. The film is a funny slasher that has time travel in it – can one go wrong with this formula? Probably, but the bears help even things out. The film works because it never takes itself seriously and allows anything to happen. The characters are vapid, intentionally, and do come across as stereotypical because they are and not because it is satire in certain points, but it holds together for the most part. It seems like sometimes a film is made that feels very 80s, a time of certain types of films (Pretty in Pink, etc.), and Detention is a film that is contemporary that takes place in the 80s and does for the 90s what the 90s never did for the 90s that the 80s did for the 80s – creating a certain atmosphere and style for teen films to landscape. If that made any sense to you whatsoever, congratulations! Honestly, the film has gained some popularity because Josh Hutchinson is in the film (Hunger Games), but he isn’t even the reason I like the film. I would say that he does a good job, but the entire cast weighs equally. The film is really a film that is meta in the way you have to see it to appreciate it, but above all else, have a good time with it!
