2022 has already been a strong year for the horror genre, but despite the initial promise of its clever premise and witty title, They/Them is failing to live up to the high standards set by the year's other horror releases. They/Them has lots of strong elements on paper, such as seasoned writer-turned-director John Logan at the helm, a unique setting, and an inclusive cast (including a return to the slasher genre by Kevin Bacon). However, They/Them has trouble utilizing these elements to produce a compelling slasher movie.
They/Them follows a group of LGBTQ+ teens, led by protagonist Jordan (Theo Germaine), during their stay at the conversion camp, Camp Whistler. The camp is run by Kevin Bacon’s Owen Whistler, whose initially "chill" attitude towards They/Them’s characters and their identities soon proves to be little more than a mask to cover the true intentions of both himself and the camp. While the teens spend most of the movie grappling with the horrors of conversion therapy, even more horror ensues duringThey/Them's runtime when a killer comes to threaten the camp.
Though this premise is encouraging, They/Them ultimately struggles to balance its horror elements and exploration of issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. They/Them’s inability to deliver upon the promise of its unique premise and address LGBTQ+ issues in a meaningful way has led many viewers, horror fans, and LGBTQ+ rights advocates alike to feel let down by the film. The consensus of They/Them’s reviews is that the movie makes for a disappointing viewing experience, making it a let-down among 2022’s great horror entries. Here is why audiences are so disappointed by They/Them, as well as a verdict on whether They/Them is the worst horror movie of 2022.
Why They/Them Is Getting Bad Reviews
Although the premise of They/Them initially appears promising, it has received negative reviews from critics and casual moviegoers alike, as shown by its abysmal 29% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers acknowledge the importance of LGBTQ+ representation and inclusion in They/Them, but beyond this, the movie fails to deliver in several ways, mainly relating back to the movie’s confused tone. Despite marketing itself as a slasher, many have found the movie's horror elements to be disappointing. They/Them also suffers from other plights, such as awkward dialogue and lackluster character development, but They/Them’s tonal confusion and poor pacing are the most significant contributors to its negative reviews.
They/Them Fails At Being A Horror Movie
Central to critiques of They/Them is its failure to deliver as a horror movie. There is plenty of potential in setting a slasher movie at a conversion camp for LGBTQ+ youth, given the inherent horrors that are built into the setting, but They/Them apparently had difficulty balancing its goals of rectifying years of mistreatment of LGBTQ+ characters in media with its chosen slasher genre. Slasher movies have a clear set of rules/tropes that are typically followed, which They/Them mostly eschews. While subverting tropes is welcome, it is impossible to forgive a lack of gore in a slasher movie, which is a cardinal sin that They/Them commits. They/Them initially holds promise through the murder by the masked killer during the movie’s opening, but the movie does not feature another kill after this first one until over an hour into its runtime, instead primarily focusing on the injustices suffered by the teens at Camp Whistler. This makes the horror elements of They/Them feel like an afterthought rather than its true goal.
Who Is They/Them Even For?
The most egregious issue with They/Them is its inconsistent tone, which creates confusion over who its audience is meant to be. They/Them attempts to cater to both horror fans and advocates of the LGBTQ+ community, but it fails both groups because of its issues committing to these elements of the story. This leads to both the horror movie elements and the LGBTQ+ topics being handled haphazardly, thus leading to both of They/Them’s most likely target audiences being let down in some way.
They/Them majorly disappoints horror fans because of its underwhelming frights and inability to commit to its genre. Despite its promising premise and clever title, They/Them fails to do anything innovative with the slasher genre. This might be excusable if They/Them executes its retreading of familiar territory well, but the poor pacing of the movie makes it feel like They/Them not only fails to do anything new with its genre but anything at all, given its lack of scares. Any horror fan watching They/Them expecting to see a terrifying slasher movie will likely be disappointed by the lack of gore and turn to something else before the killing spree in the movie’s third act even commences.
Another critique of They/Them is that it fails as a horror movie due to devoting too much time to the bigotry and injustice that the teen characters experience at Camp Whistler, but unfortunately, the movie also fails the LGBTQ+ community too. They/Them’s positive representation of LGBTQ+ characters and eschewing of the “bury your gays” trope is a step in the right direction for cinema. However, since Boy Erased. Additionally, while They/Them is sympathetic to its characters, it also includes mixed messages, particularly regarding its trans characters (despite its protagonist, Jordan, being trans and nonbinary). While They/Them’s heart is in the right place with its inclusion of LGBTQ+ issues, it ultimately fails to the LGBTQ+ community due to its shallow discussion of issues facing the community and inconsistent messaging.
Why They/Them Is The Worst Horror Movie Of 2022
It might seem early to declare a movie the worst horror movie of 2022, given there are still plenty of Nope at their fingertips when they are looking for something to scratch their horror itch, there is little reason to watch They/Them. While some of its transgressions might not seem so terrible, the fact that over an hour elapses between kills in They/Them is too difficult to overlook. As a result of its tonal confusion, poor pacing, and lackluster slasher elements, They/Them is definitely one of the worst horror movies to release in 2022.
