Fantasia Review: ‘Kratt’ Is an Off the Wall Family Film with Satanism, Cannibalism, Mysticism and Heart

When I think of a movie to watch with the kids, I try to avoid things like Satanic journals, reanimated corpses, nudity, gratuitous language, or the Dark Lord himself. With its North American premiere at Fantasia Fest 25, writer/ director Rasmus Merivoo’s (Buratino, Son Of Pinocchio) dark family comedy Kratt, begs to differ.

A Kratt is from Estonian folklore, said to be a figure constructed of household items one would have around the house. After sacrificing three drops of blood to the Devil himself while under a full moon, the Kratt then comes to life and does the bidding of its master. But be warned, because if the Kratt is not constantly working, it will turn on its master and kill them. You know, for kids!

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After being sent to their grandmother’s house while their parents go off on a retreat of some kind. Mia (Nora Merivoo) and Kevin (Harri Merivoo) wake up to find their phones have been taken and you’d think the world had ended. Professing boredom, they’re quickly put to work with the daily chores as Gran (Mair Lill) has more than enough to keep them occupied.

When they meet a couple of “twins” Juuli (Elise Tekko) and August (Roland Treima) who’ve also lost their phone privileges, the four form a bond quickly and perhaps their stay won’t be so bad after all.

The kids warm up to their grandma as they settle into their temporary home. After an impromptu visit to the local library the kids stumble upon the Count’s journal that had been thought lost. The only problem is, it’s in German. 

Meanwhile, the town’s Governor (Ivo Uukkivi) is having problems of his own. His capital building is being packed up and the local parishioners, led by the gigantic Lembit (Paul Purga), aren’t happy with him for signing a permit allowing the decimation of their sacred forest. To appease the group, he stops by the local blood drive, lies about the permit, and gives blood. A decision that will come back to bite him, perhaps literally. 

To help Gran with her chores, the children set about building their own Kratt, and with the help of a drunk parishioner, translate the journal. Now all they need is blood, which they heist from the blood drive and as you guessed it, it belongs to the governor. With their plan set in motion, what could go wrong? Turns out, everything. Who knew dealing with the devil could be a bad idea? Again, it’s a family film!

Kratt is wildly entertaining, its darkly humorous and fantastical. At times a heart-warming tale of children learning to appreciate family and enjoy childhood without their nose stuck in a phone. Other times a brutal gory horror story, in which they literally chop people up, turning them into pizza at one point. 

It’s a satirical commentary on technology (even a priest uses a Holy Cross app), politics, and how one group’s environmental cause to get likes on Facebook is another family’s financial ruin. The characters that make up the town are all lovable in their disfunction and the movie never picks a side. It only shows how sometimes the best intentions aren’t always well thought out.

Beautiful and cinematic visually, everyone involved is giving it their all, in front and behind the camera. The child actors are genuine, believable and carry the story along. Mair Lill as Gran is phenomenal, her portrayal of a grandma looking to connect with her estranged grandchildren is pure warmth. Contrasted with her transformation later that is both silly and terrifying. Ivo Uukkivi gives a fearless performance that is as devastating as it is funny to watch as he tries so hard to be liked only to fail at every turn.

Kratt is a blend of genres that check the boxes for a variety of viewers. I can see this becoming a cult classic in the years to come in the “have you seen this movie?,” kind of notion. Rasmus Merivoo went 12 years in between films, and you can see every bit of that passion, and craft went into every frame of this project. Perhaps the folktale nature of the story will appeal to family’s looking to share a night of cinema. I mean, what child doesn’t want to see an old lady get a scythe through her head. 3.5/5

★★★★

You can check out the trailer for the crazy family comedy, Kratt below. Be sure to stay tuned to ScaryNerd as we continue to bring you more from the 25th Fantasia Film Festival.

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