![[Tribeca '24] '#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead': Modern take on slashers is the best in years](https://aiptcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jade-pettyjohn-in-amfad-all-my-f.png "jade pettyjohn in amfad all my f")
#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead is a modern take on the slasher sub-genre making its World Premiere at Tribeca. A group of friends are headed to the biggest music festival of the year. They rent an Airbnb and prepare for a wild time involving sex and drugs, along with the mandatory posting and live streaming. They soon find themselves the target of a vicious killer who begins to gruesomely take them out one by one.
Slashers have the luxury of being able to follow a formula and still be very fun. #AMFAD certainly has the pattern down. The group includes a stoner, a horned up lothario, and a conceited “hot chick”. But writers John Baldecchi, Jessica Sarah Flaum, and Josh Sims put everything through a modern filter. Guy (Jack Doupe-Smith) may like to indulge in recreational assistance, but none of the others are adverse to drugs, either. A police officer even helpfully points out, some of the things Jack does are legal. For their part, L.B. (Julian Haig, Riverdale) livestreams his sexcapades and Mona (Jennifer Ens, Chapelwaite) is an influencer. The movie appeals to longtime genre fans without alienating newcomers.
It is not just the characters that have been updated for the 21st century. The energy and tone are fast paced and fun. Director Marucs Dunstan may present a familiar story, but it is done in a lively way that keeps surprising the audience. Colors are creatively used and quick cuts amp up the scares. The long cold open is an interesting decision, that ends up being more strange than anything else. Still, it adds to the overall chaotic nature of #AMFAD.
Kills are always one of the most scrutinized part of any slasher and they are well done here. A mix of disgusting, shocking, and funny, #AMFAD does an excellent job of never taking itself too seriously without taking away from the horror of what is happening. Gore hounds will definitely be impressed with what they see.
#AMFAD is an excellent modern take on the Final Girl. The days of the puerile and too good to be true Final Girl ended long ago, but the trope has been slightly altered more than it has actually evolved. They may be more willing to have sex or partake in a drink, but the idea of the Final Girl has changed very little over the decades.
Sarah (Jade Pettyjohn, Little Fires Everywhere) is the biggest leap the character has seen since Sidney Prescott was first harassed by Ghostface. She is not afraid to party with her more reckless friends, yet she is still the voice of reason. That being said, her motivations seem murky at times – she seems willing to spend time with L.B. In another scene, she has not issues using someone for a ride. In other words, she has the type of complexity that Final Girls are never allowed to have. The climatic scenes involving the Final Girl will likely catch anyone watching off-guard.
#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead is a fantastic addition to the slasher sub-genre. It is the right combination of funny, exciting, and disgusting that only the best slashers are able to pull off. Nothing ever feels out of place in a plot that is able to touch on heavy topics and still lean into its sillier aspects. It is easily one of the best slashers to come around in years.
Tribeca Festival takes from June 5 – June 16. The full lineup can be found HERE.
#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead will be released In Select Theaters and On Digital and On Demand on August 2, 2024.
![[Tribeca '24] '#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead': Modern take on slashers is the best in years](https://i0.wp.com/aiptcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jade-pettyjohn-in-amfad-all-my-f.png?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1 "jade pettyjohn in amfad all my f")
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