Init!ation (2021)

Init!ation earns its exclamation point by taking the familiar rush of a campus slasher and sharpening it into something nervy, modern, and surprisingly thoughtful. The film’s murders hit with a grim, serious edge, but what really hooks you is the way it threads social commentary and the uneasy mechanics of toxic masculinity into a mystery that keeps tightening its grip. Anchored by a charismatic lead and a smart use of contemporary tech, it feels less like a throwback and more like a genre update with purpose. If you want breezy, wink-at-the-camera horror, this might feel too mature and somber—but if you like your scares with bite and your whodunit with substance, it’s a tense, engrossing ride.

Init!ation wants to be a slick campus slasher with a modern edge, mixing fraternity-week chaos, a mystery hook, and a pointed message about toxic culture. The problem is it often moves like it’s afraid to commit: the pacing drags, the scares feel muted, and the whodunit beats can come off predictable long before the finale. When the story leans on questionable decisions and convenient logic, the tension evaporates, and the reveal doesn’t land with the punch it clearly intends. If you’re hoping for sharp social commentary or a genuinely nasty, inventive slasher, you may leave disappointed—but if you’re in the mood for a low-key, glossy college thriller to half-watch, it has just enough atmosphere and premise to keep you mildly curious.