Directed by K. Asher Levin, Slayers is a new horror comedy movie written by him along with Zack Imbrogno. While it is essentially a vampire hunting film, it touches upon the themes of media exploitation, today’s influencer-driven age, greed, and generational gap resulting in differing worldviews among others. While it doesn’t fully realize the potential of any of these aspects, it tries to make it up with its hyper-stylized editing that tries to bring forth an ironic comedic bit to the horror narrative. It stars Kara Hayword, Abigail Breslin, Malin Åkerman, Thomas Jane, Lydia Hearst, Jack Donnelly, and Ashley Reyes among others.
Slayers (2022) Movie Summary & Plot Synopsis
Slayers’ essentially shows a trip of Gen Z/millennial social media influencers on a trip toward their dreams that goes bad due to bloodthirsty vampires. The film begins with a montage of different snippets from the past to establish the fact that, just like human beings, vampires have existed throughout the world’s history. While giving many references to back this claim, it also builds its comedic tonality with an old white guy narrating the details about it. The narration gives it a particularly old-timey vibe that makes you aware of how the makers are trying to present their tale.
Towards the end of this narration, we understand the perspective it is coming from, which is that of an outlier – a slayer, who protected people from vampires. After citing examples of Joan of Arc to Benjamin Franklin, the narrator introduces himself as Elliot Jones (Thomas Jane) – a bearded slayer in the present. Meanwhile, we meet a bunch of young superstar influencers who have gathered to work on the wedding between the two of them. Liz Andrews (Lydia Hearst) and Jack Chambers (Jack Donnelly) are supposed to get married in a couple of hours, and they learn about a golden opportunity from David Dean (Ash T). Flynn (Kara Hayword, known for Moonrise Kingdom) and Jules Jay (Abigail Breslin, known for Little Miss Sunshine) are also present.
A billionaire businessman, Steven Rektor (Steven Rektor), and his wife, Beverly (Malin Åkerman) are offering the streamers an ambassador deal and to speak about it, they are invited to go to their reclusive mansion in Mexico. While the about-to-get-married couple and Jules seem game with it, Flynn feels it stupid that they are leaving Jack’s marriage just for the sake of some deal. Despite that, they decide to head toward the mansion. Through a series of cringe-worthy footage, we get a glimpse into why these influencers are popular. On their way, they are stopped by Elliot, who advises them to turn around considering the trouble they will be in if they head in that direction.
The younglings consider his advice senseless and go along with their plan anyway. Elliot recalls a story from when he was younger, where he found two women dead because of vampires, which made him go on the path of being a slayer. On their way, Flynn seems a bit apprehensive considering Elliot’s warning, and Jack tries to make her feel good about going to the Rektors. When they reach the huge mansion, Beverly gives them a warm welcome and everyone gets elated. It is also funny to see how every one of them feels worthy of being there. Almost everyone gets smitten by their plastered smiles, and sophistication and also the validation they were getting from these rich folks.
Later at night, they get on a video call with Steven, who mentions unbelievably high-priced deals to these influencers. Flynn gets spooked by it and mentions it being part of a shady plan. The couple persists in going along with their greed. Afterward, Jack gets an offer of being their media head and them being on the level of partner with the Spektors. Now, he starts sensing something wrong with it and introspecting his self-worth. Flynn finds it impossible to believe and goes to Jules to ask if she will come back with her. However, she refuses considering how quickly they were getting such a huge sum.
While finding her way back, Flynn comes across Elliot. While near the mansion, Jules’ date goes bad since he turns out to be a vampire and attacks her. When he attacks Flynn, who was trying to protect her, she gets rescued by Elliot. He then takes the kid along with him and informs him everything he knows about Spektors and their history as vampires. He mentions vampires having an expiration date of 100 years and still being eternal, which means they look for another body to carry forward their genes. Steven manipulates Jack into doing the same, but he is terrified by the proceedings. Meanwhile, Liz gets under the Spektors’ influence and becomes a bloodthirsty vampire herself.
Slayers (2022) Movie Ending Explained:
Do the influencers manage to escape the mansion?
Flynn and Elliot head back to the mansion, armed to get rid of all the vampires and to rescue all of her friends. While trying to kill the creatures with her arrows, she also starts recording everything happening inside and streaming it online. The stupid influencers even start reacting to it and gaining traction for themselves! Inside, they find a bunch of people wearing patients’ gowns, who look unconscious. They find Rektor as a long-haired, elderly guy, who tries to find every possible way to drink their blood. By the time, Flynn sees Liz in there, she already becomes a red-eyed vampire.
Flynn and Elliot cannot help Liz get away and end up stabbing her with their arrow. However, Flynn luckily finds Jack in a safe state and takes him away from this hellhole. Elliot decides to stay back and give her the same advice he gives her, earlier, to not trust anyone or to believe anything. While they escape the bunker of the Spektors’ mansion, the vampires seem to have woken up and run to look for these humans.
As a result, what know-it-call Elliot says before rings true, the moment they decided to step into the mansion, they were already dead. It is just a matter of time. Also, the film’s attempt to constantly bring the discussion to the greedy businesspeople luring people into their web is hard to escape from.
