The Reel Review
After tragedy strikes during a high school class field trip, Laurel develops a psychic ability to see the future deaths of anyone she kisses. When Laurel foresees the deaths of several of her classmates in a brutal killing rampage, she embarks on a kissing spree to identity the potential killer. Mckenna Grace and Arkira Chantaratananond star in this horror/comedy mystery.
Surprisingly, this whodunit (or more aptly, who’s-going-to-do-it) mashup of 2023’s Totally Killer and the Final Destination franchise is cleverly constructed and written, and has just the right balance of horror and humor, thanks to an excellent Grace (Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Gifted) who carries the film and Chantartananond as her super fun and loyal bestie, Poppy. Some of Laurel’s attempts to kiss her friends and even her school principal (Poppy’s dad) are uncomfortably funny.
Co-writer/director Yoko Okumura keeps the film’s pacing fast and fresh, despite a few predictable, corny moments and a not so surprising killer. The more serious nods to the emotional impacts of trauma are also refreshingly poignant for a horror/comedy. The Last Kiss is a satisfying, entertaining whodunit.
REEL FACTS
• The Last Kiss director/co-writer Yoko Okumura was born in Minneapolis but now resides in Los Angeles.
• As of February 2026, Mckenna Grace was in a relationship with Regretting You co-star Mason Thames.
• Stanford University graduate Arkira Chantaratananond (Twinless) has a masters degree in Music & Video Game design. She lives in Los Angeles.
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