Running Time: 89 Minutes
Starring: Zoey Luna, Malina Pauli Weissman, River Alexander, Sean Giambrone, Talia Jackson, Ruby McCollister, Beck Nolan, Aya Cash, Shawnee Smith
A few years ago, Kyra Elise Gardner made her feature directorial debut with Living With Chucky, an excellent documentary about the horror franchise which has long been a key part of her life. Her follow-up feature is Slay, a narrative work which offers a contemporary and queer take on a slasher film.
Viewers are introduced to Chloe Cruz (Zoey Luna), a social media celebrity who we watch growing up on the internet. As life moves along, she gains a circle of friends, a devoted boyfriend, and all while supported by her caring mum (Aya Cash). Things start unravelling when one of the friends is murdered. This transforms the group's planned trip to a secluded cabin into a way of honouring their friend, while hoping to escape the horrifying situation. However, paranoia sets in when it becomes clear that the killer is closer than they think.
Many archetypes are evident within the group, including the self-interested boyfriend whose looks barely hide how awful a person he is, the best friend who carries a torch for the protagonist, and the tiresome stoner. While the characters may feel overly familiar, their shared relationships are believable enough to keep you invested. Take Chloe's friendship with Kat (Malina Pauli Weissman), the person that was once her best friend, but the passing years have left the pair drifting apart from each other. Whether it is conversations about future worries, or reminiscing about their fallen friend, the terrific performances ensures these moments feel sincere.
Central to this story is Chloe, a girl who grew up on horror movies and Clueless. We see her life unfolding on-screen, beginning with announcing her gender identity at a young age. It's something that reveals her dad's bigotry, puts her in the crosshairs of a combative reporter (played by horror icon Shawnee Smith), and leaves her receiving hateful online reactions from transphobes. She perseveres in spite of it all, and Zoey Luna does tremendous work bringing alive the character's determination.
Considering how long she has spent on social media, it is clear that Chloe has carefully constructed the identity that she shares with the public. She is now ready to enter a new phase of her life, complete with achieving her dream of acting in a horror movie, even if it is a small role. This also highlights issues with Chloe's treatment of her friends, with her casually ignoring some of them painting a picture of what lies behind the online guise.
The arrival of a slasher villain leaves the teenage group at risk, particularly when the kills are committed by someone wearing a mask of Chloe. The teens are thrust into a slasher scenario as a killer rampage unfolds, leaving them in a panic while people's true colours are revealed in the moment. As a result, the protagonist's curated identity may become the last thing that Chloe's friends see.
Housed within the third-act are revelations involving the killer's identity and motivation, a hallmark of slasher films which can unfortunately let down what was an intriguing mystery. The same is true here, with the truths shared feeling half-thought out. But nestled within this finale is a fascinating thread about the impact of viral fame. When your life is spent in front of cameras, can you break away from that? Is the allure too much that relationships end up becoming an acceptable sacrifice? All of this ensures Slay is a solid watch.
Slay made its World Premiere at FrightFest 2026
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