When most people think of Halloween, they think of costumes and candy, but one crucial element is missing to create the perfect trifecta: horror. Horror movies are possibly one of the most polarizing topics there are– some love the thrill and enjoy the jump scares while others cannot even bear to hear the scary music. Recently Prime Video released a movie called Totally Killer, so let’s see if it was a killer or if it is going to be killed by critics.

Kiernan Shipka, the main lead, does a phenomenal job and attracts an audience on her own. Her portrayal of a young teenager perfectly emulates the discontent of high school and teenage girls, going through a “rebellious phase”. Although twenty-three years old, she goes through the movie with the nonchalance of a Gen-Z teenager who wakes up in the morning to worry her parents.
In regard to the plot, it is nothing but original. When her mom was younger three of her friends were murdered in a small town on their sixteenth birthday giving birth to the “Sweet 16” killer. Given this incident, her mom is overly worried about her daughter’s safety and somehow Jamie is transported back in time to when her mother’s friends were killed. From there the real fun begins. 

Whenever a movie crosses the line and involves “time travel” there is a proper way to do it like in The Avengers: Endgame or Back to the Future, but they were not able to nail it here. It was something that was so casually slipped in there (the fact her friend had built a time machine), that it brought out the fact how unrealistic it is. Going back to the 90s was certainly a fun scene, and we were able to observe a vibrant community and juxtaposition of now and then, but getting there was the problem. Instead, I would have suggested possible flashback sequences to when the mother was young and fighting the killer to her daughter fighting the killer in the present day. 

This movie is not one to watch with the little kids, but it also isn’t a full-on horror movie. Jump scares were scattered here and there, as well as the occasional gore, but overall you were able to get through the movie without digging your head in the pillow, which is a plus. The blending of genres in this movie opened it up to a wider audience beyond just the hard-core horror crowd. 

One of the most important things about this movie is that it did not have a theater release and was produced by Prime Video. These types of movies have become increasingly popular and the most successful way that these streaming organizations can get new viewers and streamers, but the big question is if they were able to turn a profit, which is still undecided. 

Overall, this movie was fun to watch but not as believable as it could have been or as scary as your typical horror movie. As the spooky season ends, make sure that you give this movie a watch to get you in the fall mood as well as give you a good scare from time to time.