Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen horror-comedy has language, violence, sex, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Totally Killer
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a humorous blend of horror and comedy with a captivating storyline, appealing to both younger audiences and slasher fans. While some reviews note the movie's violence and discussions of sex, many enjoyed its entertainment value and unique combination of elements.
- humor
- horror
- violence
- engaging storyline
- appropriate for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In TOTALLY KILLER, Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) is a teen growing up in a town made infamous due to murders that took place around Halloween in 1987. The killer, known as "The Sweet 16 Killer," killed three teenage girls by stabbing them 16 times and was never caught. Jamie's mom (Julie Bowen) and dad (Lochlyn Munro) were friends with the murdered girls when they were teens, and remain vigilant should the killer return. Now, 35 years later, the killer has returned and stabbed Jamie's mother to death while Jamie was at a concert. When Jamie's good friend constructs a time machine from an old photo booth, Jamie decides that she must go back to 1987 and find a way to stop the killer and save her mom's life. Upon arriving in 1987, Jamie soon learns that the ‘80s were a weird and difficult time of bullying and partying, and that her mom was a "mean girl" as a teen. Undeterred, Jamie claims to be a psychic and does her best to rescue the soon-to-be-murdered girls and tries to stop "The Sweet 16 Killer" before the murderous rampages start.
Is It Any Good?
This is a pretty basic but mostly entertaining teen slasher time-travel horror-comedy. Totally Killer, while not as gory or raunchy as many of the ‘80s teen horror movies it draws upon for inspiration, nonetheless evokes a 1980s teen world of bullying, binge drinking, pot brownies, and oral sex. It wears its nostalgia lightly -- no obligatory references to shopping malls or Reagan -- but most of the humor is found in 2020s teen Jamie (played by Kiernan Shipka) expressing shock at the lax security measures of high schools back then and some of the sexist and un-pc attitudes and behaviors of those around her. It tends to work, but the whole thing isn't exactly original.
The movie is fine for turn-off-the-brain horror fare played in the background at a Halloween party or at a sleepover, but it's not going to be a horror classic. All the expected plot points are hit at the right times (check), and the jump scares happen (check), and the inevitable "unexpected plot twist" (check) arrives, but it brings nothing new to the table.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dark comedy horror movies like Totally Killer. How is this similar to and different from other horror movies that include dark humor?
How does the movie find humor in a 2020s teen trying to navigate the culture of 1980s teens? Do you think this is a mostly accurate representation of ‘80s teens, or is it exaggerated for the sake of comedy? Why?
Was the sex, violence, drinking, and drug use excessive, or was it necessary to depict the realities of teenagers, particularly teenagers in 1987? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 6, 2023
- Cast : Kiernan Shipka , Olivia Holt , Lochlyn Munro
- Director : Nahnatchka Khan
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Gay Movie Director(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Amazon
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : School ( High School )
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Bloody violence, language, sexual material, and teen drug/alcohol use.
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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