credit: Pilgrim
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Pilgrim is a movie that bridges the gap between this coming holiday and Halloween in a very disturbing manner that is all about reminding people to be grateful for what they have since, who knows, a group of raving psychos might end up making sure that you’re grateful, right before they take your most treasured assets away. In truth, this part of the Into the Dark series was released in 2019, but it’s been presented once again on Hulu, and it’s a gem to be found since, despite moving kind of slowly, it does have the advantage of moving at a pace that’s easy to follow since the true terror hits suddenly and then doesn’t let up as things start to move along in a manner that forces one to keep up or get left behind. It’s not hard to walk into this feature and figure out what’s going on, so long as a person has seen the beginning, in which Anna, the mother, ends up hiring Thanksgiving re-enactors to spice up her family holiday, only to reveal later on that they take their roles a little too seriously.
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Thanksgiving day reenactments are a real thing.
This kind of thing is possible to witness, but as far as having people you don’t know in your home, that’s kind of a personal thing that some folks might have to ponder a while, especially when it comes to letting them overstay their welcome. Cody had the right of it when she questioned the length that the people would be staying, and the moment that others started showing up it became kind of an issue since, well, who in the world wants to be reminded of how simple life used to be? Plus, when one looks at how people used to live in the days of the actual pilgrims, it brings to mind the reason why we should be grateful for the technological advancements that we have to this day. But in a horror movie, it was a recipe for trouble that was bound to be a great chance to present something that might creep people out on a very personal level.
The sudden action is abrupt, but it wakes a person up.
This movie does get off to a slow start, and it is a bit cringe-worthy at times, but at the very least, it feels as though the expectation of what’s to come since there is enough of a sinister lean to this story that makes it easy to expect the sudden action, even though it still comes with a rush that is bound to surprise the audience. The buildup to the attack is enough to make some people wonder just what’s going on and how extensive the reenactment is going to be, but still, the suddenness with which Finn, Cody’s boyfriend, is taken down along with his mother is enough to snap people awake and make them pay attention in a way that keeps a person glued to the screen.
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The acting is a bit dodgy, but it’s not that bad.
There are a few moments when the acting is a bit less than it could be, but this is easily ignored since the story is, for the most part, enjoyable and even quirky in a way that suggests that it could be enjoyed by a lot of people. As a Thanksgiving movie, it’s definitely different and innovative, but as a horror movie, it’s something that one can’t help but laugh at, given that it does come off as corny now and then. Cody’s attitude throughout the movie is kind of irritating, but she plays it well enough that one can believe that the character fits into the story better than most of them. The pilgrims are severe in their manner but somehow still campy enough that they aren’t absolutely horrifying. If anything, they’re creepy as hell and easy to be afraid of in the right circumstances, but this is the kind of threat that could be taken down with conventional weapons, as is proven by the way it ends.
It goes without saying that the real story of the pilgrims and the indigenous people should be told to kids once they’re old enough.
The attitude that Cody displays about the meaning behind Thanksgiving is one that a lot of people have expressed over the years since the tales we’re told in primary school are likely nice versions of what really happened. Dwelling on the negatives that might have been experienced, however, is beyond the point of what Thanksgiving has become, and simply giving thanks for what we have and where we’re at in life is the main point of this holiday. This movie might be a fine addition to one’s traditional holiday practices, if only for the entertainment value.
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