Every year around Thanksgiving, we all hear the real-life horror stories that result from an onslaught of Black Friday shoppers. I’m surprised it took this long, but someone finally created a feature film on the topic.

Black Friday takes on the human horror of the worst shoppers imaginable and combines it with comedy and a dash of the supernatural. Devon Sawa and Bruce Campbell bring experience to a cast of characters representing the retail workers at “We Love Toys.”

Bonded by their Black Friday shift at the store, the crew gets more than they bargained for when the horde of holiday shoppers becomes infected with an alien parasite. With their store overrun by bloodthirsty shoppers, the employees must band together to make it out alive.

There were several things I enjoyed about Black Friday. First off, it’s relatable for anyone who has worked retail, especially on a major holiday. The film plays on all of the stereotypical characters that you can imagine, including the divorced dad, a manager with decades of service, the overachieving, repeat “Employee of the Month,” and a young adult stuck living with mom and dad.

This film doesn’t waste time getting to the action, and that was something I appreciated. The toy store makes for a fun setting, and while it’s heavy on comedy and gore, there are some more emotional moments. It’s the moments that showcase relationships (mostly between the employees) that bring some balance to the story and create more buy-in from the viewer. Not only is there tension from the danger at hand, but there are tensions that flare between the co-workers once they are put in a survival situation.

The holiday setting and the fun, comedic style mixed with horror were a bit reminiscent of some favorite 80s films such as Gremlins or Child’s Play, but this film stood on its own with a unique storyline and setting.

Despite its shorter run time, I struggled a bit to maintain interest during the last half hour or so leading up to the end. It felt like the action had gone on a bit long before concluding, but also could’ve been because the setting hadn’t changed. Sometimes a single setting can work against a film’s effectiveness, and I felt that in this instance. I would’ve enjoyed another glimpse into the main characters’ lives in the aftermath of what they survived.

Overall Black Friday is a fun flick to add to your holiday viewing list. It’s not too serious due to a healthy dose of both humor and horror, but it may lead you to change plans if you consider shopping on Black Friday in the future.

7 out of 10