“Killer Book Club” is a 2023 Spanish horror movie directed by Carlos Alonso-Ojea, written by Carlos García Miranda, who also wrote the novel. It stars Veki G. Velilla, Iván Pellicer, Álvaro Mel, Priscilla Delgado, and Daniel Grao.
Do you remember a few years back when it became a worldwide trend to dress up as clowns and scare people? Well, building on this premise, “Killer Book Club” creates a classic horror film that is (almost) perfect for a Friday night.
With a touch of literary metafiction, reminiscent of “Scream,” the film intelligently plays its cards without deviating from the genre’s conventions. You can watch it on Netflix starting August 25, 2023.
Synopsis
A group of students in a book club decide to seek revenge on a professor who harassed one of them, Angela. The professor accidentally dies, and the students decide to hide the incident from the police. As things start to unravel, a terrifying novel mysteriously appears, seemingly rewriting the events that are actually happening.
Review of “Killer Book Club”
This film tackles the challenging task of reimagining the classics, taking literary elements and infusing them with an internet twist, a touch of modernity, and a sprinkle of Stephen King. It aims to rewrite previously told stories (like “It”) and ironically presents a classic movie about aspiring writers in a modern mystery and horror film, reminiscent of Hollywood.
However, it is important to note that it is not Hollywood, for better or worse.
“Killer Book Club” is a well-crafted university mystery slasher that draws upon the tradition of such stories. With a screenplay that plays with surprises, it doesn’t try to surprise us by rewriting a story that has been told before. The film constantly toys with this irony, pretending to be a slasher without actually becoming one.
It confesses to being deceptive in a genre known for its deception, and it is through this obvious deceit that we find enjoyment.
It is a good horror and mystery story about literary fiction that does not aim to break molds, nor go that bit further “beyond” Stanley Kubrick. Rather, it falls into a genre that is savored, enjoyed, and quickly forgotten, where all movies strive to be transgressive and end up resembling each other too much.
As far as the performances are concerned, all the actors are commendable, with special mention to Veki Velilla.
Does the resolution surprise us, and will the final impact of this literary puzzle stay with us?
Our Opinion
“Killer Book Club” skillfully plays with the irony of its plot in a self-aware, classic film that understands its strengths, weaknesses, and potential.
Achieving all its objectives, Carlos García Miranda does a more than worthy job in this good horror film that, at the same time, doesn’t take itself too seriously and embraces irony without pretentiousness.
Release Date
August 25, 2023
Where to Watch Killer Book Club
Actors and actresses
Priscilla Delgado
Iván Pellicer
María Cerezuela
Daniel Grao