Though blunt, Black Christmas’s message is both powerful and relatable. Only by destroying the source of this patriarchal oppression can they effectively stop the system that threatens their lives. The MKE sisters have been added to a list of transgressing women who must be put back in their subservient place or eliminated altogether. Riley fears that after performing an inflammatory song at a Greek talent show, she and her sisters have become the target of DKO, a prestigious fraternity whose legacy dominates the campus. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure in a hooded robe murders female students under cover of silent, snowy darkness. Riley Stone (Imogen Poots) and her fellow MKE sorority sisters prepare for the upcoming holiday break. There’s a killer stalking the grounds of Hawthorne college. And like it or not, Takal’s film forces a conversation too often relegated to allegory. This may not be the feminist manifesto the original classic deserves, but it’s the one we have. It’s a clear indictment of patriarchal oppression and a blunt call to arms for women tired of silently taking abuse. Takal’s film may wear its message of gender equality and collective empowerment on its sleeve, but Black Christmas is inspiring nonetheless. And loudly proclaiming the truth about systemic forces that threaten women can feel intensely cathartic. Though some attempts at feminist empowerment are clunky (missing diva cup, anyone?) sometimes the message needs to be blunt. She boldly names its depiction of gender-based oppression and refuses to hide its message behind genre tropes. Takal’s Black Christmas makes this subtext explicit. Slashers are seen as allegories for the patriarchy with a usually faceless male killer ceaselessly stalking subversive women. Despite its flaws, Takal’s film offers a lot to love. But the message of Black Christmas (2019) is one of unabashed empowerment. Amidst the stylish holiday-themed kills there are moments of pure cringe and a plot that requires a massive suspension of disbelief. With a notoriously rushed production, it’s also not a perfect film. The film’s heavy-handed feminism is as off-putting to some as it is galvanizing for others. And there are valid points on either side. Sophia Takal’s loose remake of the 1974 slasher classic tends to garner nearly as much criticism as it does praise with strong opinions. Black Christmas (2019) is a relatively controversial film.
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