Totally Killer (2023)

Totally Killer is a Halloween treat that knows exactly how to have fun with slasher lore without treating it like homework: it’s a time-travel riff that zips with prankster energy, genuine suspense, and a surprisingly warm affection for the people caught in its chaos. Kiernan Shipka makes an ideal guide through the mayhem—smart, funny, and emotionally grounded—while the 1987 backdrop delivers neon-lit nostalgia, teen-movie attitude, and crowd-pleasing needle drops that keep the vibe buoyant even when the knife comes out. Director Nahnatchka Khan balances jump scares and jokes with a light, self-aware touch, so the movie feels like a sleepover dare that actually sticks the landing. It is bloody and pretty raunchy, so it’s not for the squeamish or anyone allergic to R-rated teen comedy, but if you want a brisk, charmingly mischievous slasher with sci-fi seasoning, this one’s easy to recommend.

Totally Killer is clearly trying to mash up a teen slasher, an ’80s nostalgia comedy, and a breezy time-travel riff into one crowd-pleasing package, and it does have an easy, colorful energy plus a likable lead in Kiernan Shipka. The problem is the movie often feels like it’s borrowing the greatest hits of better films without adding enough of its own bite, so the kills and mystery rarely build real tension and the plot can feel a bit flimsy when you stop to think about it. The humor lands in spurts, but it can also come off glib, like it’s winking at the genre instead of committing to either genuine scares or truly sharp satire. If you want a scary, clever slasher or a tightly constructed time-travel story, this may leave you underwhelmed; if you’re happy with a light, bloody, R-rated throwback hangout movie, it’ll probably do the job.