It’s no surprise that I have a deep affection for horror movies. Whether there’s an axe-wielding maniac, a chainsaw-swinging mutant or anything filled with blood and gore, it’s safe to say I’m a delighted viewer (and not the Camp Crystal Lake kind). Halloween provides the ideal backdrop for indulging in nightly sessions of gruesome entertainment in my cozy home theater. Whenever movie studios crank up the intensity, pushing violence and bloodshed to the maximum, you can count on me to be front and center, ready to dive in.

However, on certain evenings, I crave a touch of humor amidst the gruesome mayhem. I yearn for some laughter alongside the slaughter. For those moments, I rely on my beloved classics. At the very top of my list is Tucker and Dale vs Evil, closely followed by Zombieland, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and Slither. These horror comedies may initially set a dark and foreboding stage, but they ultimately elicit more grins than shrieks. They strike the perfect balance.

Certain films strive to discover the winning formula for a successful horror comedy, but often fall short. American Psycho was a commendable endeavor, yet its humor came across as excessively understated. Instead of adding depth to Patrick Bateman’s character, it seemed to plunge him further into a disturbing psychosis. Conversely, What We Do in the Shadows injected an excess of humor into the narrative, reducing the vampires to mere undead punchlines. In contrast, the Scary Movie franchise made no pretensions about belonging to the horror genre and wholeheartedly embraced a parody approach.

Blumhouse Television and Amazon Prime recently joined forces to unveil its latest horror-comedy film, Totally Killer. The storyline revolves around the Sweet 16 Killer, a serial murderer from 1987 who earned the moniker by inflicting precisely 16 stab wounds on each victim. Following their third victim, the Sweet 16 Killer seemingly vanished into obscurity. In the present day, high-school student Jaime Hughes (Kiernan Shipka) goes against the wishes of her mother, Pam (Julie Bowen) and father, Blake (Lochlyn Munro), by attending a Halloween night concert. Pam and Blake had been friends with the three girls who were victims. While Pam is distributing candy to trick-or-treaters, she is attacked and killed by an assailant dressed as the Sweet 16 Killer.

Struggling to come to terms with her mother’s murder, Jaime encounters a true-crime podcaster named Chris (Jonathan Potts). Pam had been collaborating with Chris to crack the unsolved case. Simultaneously, Jaime’s closest friend, Amelia (Kelcey Mawema), unveils a time machine capable of transporting Jaime back to 1987 to prevent the killer’s reign of terror before it even commences. However, before she can fully prepare, the killer launches an attack, leading to a struggle that inadvertently triggers the time machine. This sends both Jaime and the assailant back in time.

Now, Jaime must confront the past and present versions of the killer while convincing her teenage mother, father and their friends that she hails from the future and is determined to save their lives.

As I mentioned earlier, some movies struggle to strike the right balance when combining horror and comedy, and it becomes even more challenging when a third genre, like sci-fi, is thrown into the mix. However, director Nahnatchka Khan accomplishes a remarkable feat by seamlessly interweaving these three distinct genres. While it might sound unconventional and potentially cheesy on paper, Totally Killer effortlessly pulls it off. It’s as if you took elements from Halloween, Scream and Back to the Future and blended them together. Surprisingly, it all comes together cohesively. I initially had reservations, thinking it might attempt to do too much, but I’m delighted to admit that I was completely mistaken.

With the introduction of time travel, Totally Killer offers an opportunity for present-day commentary on the societal norms of the 1980s. Jamie’s character grapples with issues like fat-shaming, blatant sexual harassment played for laughs and casual bullying. These behaviors were often dismissed as typical adolescent behavior during that era, but by today’s standards, they would be unequivocally condemned. While Jamie attempts to address these issues, her efforts only further isolate her from the very people she is trying to protect. This sheds a spotlight on the remarkable progress our society has made and how our standards have evolved, even though these issues persist in more subtle forms.

Totally Killer indeed incorporates a considerable amount of humor. The ongoing clash between Jaime and the ’80s teens regarding their behavior is genuinely comical. Many of the jokes revolve around risqué humor, and while such crude comedy doesn’t always resonate with me, a few moments in this film hit the mark. However, the real standout is the witty dialogue from the featured police officers.

Given that this story predates the era of DNA evidence and centralized crime databases, Jaime’s attempts to seek assistance from the sheriff and his deputy are met with utter misunderstandings. Their failure to grasp what Jaime is conveying and the ensuing missed opportunities to save the day are presented in a laughably absurd manner. Credit is certainly due to the writers for crafting such amusing dialogue.

I wholeheartedly award Totally Killer a perfect five out of five stars. I struggled to find any significant flaws with this film. The writing is outstanding, the humor landed perfectly and the stark clash of ideologies between 2023 and 1987 is exceptionally well executed. While I had a hunch about the identity of the present-year killer, the revelation of the original killer completely blindsided me. Moreover, the copycat’s motive for carrying on the legacy over 30 years later is genuinely justified.

Totally Killer is undeniably an exceptional horror comedy that demonstrates the enduring potential for crafting a superb hybrid film, even in the present day. I eagerly anticipate more from director Khan in the near future!