The Razing (2022) – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)

While many films romanticize having long-lasting friendships, “The Razing” reminds you of the trouble that comes from people knowing the worst about you.

Director(s)	J. Arcane, Paul Erskine
Screenplay By	J. Arcane
Date Released (Video On Demand)	9/27/2022
Genre(s)	Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Young Adult
Duration	1 Hour 49 Minutes
Content Rating	Not Rated
Noted Cast
Corey	Jack Wooton
Teen Corey	Carson Marquette
Ray	Logan Paul Price
Teen Ray	Dexter Farren Haag
Ellen	Laura Sampson Hemingway
Teen Ellen	Tori Ellis
Claire	Mia Heavner
Lincoln	Nicholas Tene
Milo	Dawson Mullen
Josh	Jay Torres
Teen Lincoln	Aaron A. Reyes

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Film Summary

With being friends for over 15 years, Corey, Ray, and Ellen hold many of each other’s secrets. But, when including newcomers like Claire and adding in drugs? Many of the secrets start to emerge, and few, if any, can fully handle the truth.

Things To Note

Why Is “The Razing” Rated Not Rated

• Dialog: There isn’t a notable amount of vulgar dialog, but you will hear people scream in agony
• Violence: Depiction of murder
• Sexual Content: While there is some passionate making out, there is no sex
• Miscellaneous: drinking and drug use, including by minors

Review

Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)

Highlights

How The Madness Deepens More And More

There is always the need to question what holds any friend group together, especially once the convenience of going to the same school or having the same job is eliminated. When it comes to “The Razing,” this question is pressing as it becomes clear, based on how Corey talks, that this group isn’t bonded by anything positive. It’s trauma-based. This makes unraveling each person’s individual trauma and how that adds to why they are willing to meet up annually both perplexing and intriguing.

What especially makes the way “The Razing” approaches the mystery of interest is that it switches between teen versions of most of the characters to them being adults. Through this, you not only get an answer to what happened but see who these people were before their personalities shifted, and they became distant, on edge, or, in Ray’s case, seemingly holding on.

On The Fence

The Challenge Of Keeping Up With Some Of The Characters

To us, the core group in “The Razing” is Corey, Ray, and Ellie, who have a love triangle. Everyone outside of that, their value to “The Razing” is inconsistent. Claire is the newcomer who triggers Corey into revealing this isn’t a normal friend group, but beyond that, she can become forgettable. Then when it comes to Lincoln, Milo, and Josh? They aren’t the most impactful characters.

Yes, you know one brings the drugs, another has serious issues with their mom, and another likes to stir up drama. However, grasping who is who can be difficult as their storylines are standalone, separate from the central drama, and one could submit the kind of fat that isn’t essential for what “The Razing” seemingly wanted to deliver. So while they bring a certain flavor to the film, if they were cut for time, “The Razing” would barely suffer.

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