Backstabbers is a one location high-octane thriller-comedy. The jokes come fast and quick and the constant threat of violence looming overhead creates tension throughout. The film provides what’s necessary for something so contained and pulpy – a real theme. Everything in the film centers around toxic masculinity and the selfish nature of men, particularly when it comes to relationships. In terms of how the film plays out, it has a familiar slasher nature to it like Scream, but the comedy has an almost, Saturday Night Live, sketch-like quality to it. These two elements work together to create a horror, thriller, comedy in the vein of a Freaky and Bodies Bodies Bodies.

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Backstabbers is meta and self-aware. It plays along with the Slasher genre and adds more intensity, non-stop action, and endless comedy. The film pays homage to classic horror films like Scream, but is far from the same.The comedy comes from the characters, both dialogue and visually. Which is crucial to the tonal execution of the film. Though what is happening is madness, the characters are able to lighten the atmosphere when necessary.Stylistically, the film plays like a thriller-horror. Letting moments build in suspense and having the characters and the audience tense up at every corner. As a whole, the film looks to do one main thing: let the audience have a fun ride. The characters are funny and crazy. Between the tons of gore, violent fights, thrilling chase sequence, and comedic bits, audiences will have a blast.
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Performance is absolutely critical in Backstabbers, and actors will have a lot of material to work with. Much of the film consists of witty back-and-forth banter that must seem believable and real to the characters. On top of the dialogue, the film is loaded with themes of loyalty and betrayal and… backstabbing. The emotional highs and lows of this journey also gives actors a lot to play with in order to create an environment where the audience genuinely cares about what happens to these characters and the decisions they make.

Outside of the dialogue and interpersonal relationships, Backstabbers also has a lot of physicality, which is always fun for actors, especially in horror and thriller films. There are fights and escapes, running and tumbling and large gestures. The unique and varied content of this film will be fun for any actor to bring to life.

PERFORMANCE

Demographics + HISTORICAL RETURNS

Backstabbers’s key demographic is 18-39 men and women of all ethnicities. Below are examples of movies in a similar vein that performed well within that demographic.