What if ‘Scream’ met ‘Back to the Future’? ‘Totally Killer’ has the answer | The Haunted Column

There is something oddly comforting about a slasher film that knows exactly what it wants to be. ‘Totally Killer’, directed by Nahnatchka Khan, does not try to reinvent horror, but it does something more interesting. It blends the familiar slasher formula with time travel, and the result is a film that is entertaining, self-aware and unexpectedly sharp.

The premise is simple but effective. Jamie (played by Kiernan Shipka) is a modern-day teenager whose mother survived a brutal killing spree in 1987. When the masked murderer known as the Sweet Sixteen Killer suddenly reappears in the present, Jamie ends up travelling back to the very year it all began. What follows is part horror, part science fiction and part teen comedy, with just enough of each to keep things moving.

Shipka brings the right mix of wit and sincerity to Jamie. Watching her navigate the outdated attitudes and behaviours of 1987 high school life is one of the film’s best recurring jokes. The writing has fun with the contrast between generations without leaning too heavily on nostalgia or turning the characters into caricatures.

Visually, the film captures the look and feel of the late 1980s without relying on obvious cues. It is colourful, chaotic and just stylised enough to feel deliberate. The costumes and production design set the mood without distracting from the story.

The slasher elements are intact, though they serve more as structure than focus. The kills are quick, bloody and often played with a touch of dark humour. What gives the film its emotional core is Jamie’s relationship with her teenage mother, a storyline that adds genuine warmth to an otherwise fast-paced plot.

‘Totally Killer’ does not pretend to be more than it is. It moves quickly, tells its story with a wink and gets out before wearing out its welcome. The time travel logic may not hold up under close inspection, and a few side characters remain one-dimensional, but these are minor flaws in an otherwise enjoyable watch.

The film is at its best when it leans into its central idea without overexplaining it. It trusts the audience to follow along, to get the references and to enjoy the absurdity of it all. In an era of overly serious genre films, that is refreshing.

‘Totally Killer’ is not a game changer for horror or science fiction. It is simply a smart, well-made and highly watchable film that delivers on its premise. Sometimes, that is exactly what we need.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.