With Halloween behind us, and Thanksgiving offering no classics to get us through the family gatherings, the chill in the air can only mean we’ve made it to another Holiday season. I wanted to start the month off right, so I dove into the 2015 horror/ comedy Krampus. And what better way to spread the cheer than with a good old-fashioned monster movie. Director Mike Dougherty (Trick R’ Treat) wanted to craft a film that harkened back to such childhood gems as the Dark Crystal and Gremlins, and he delivered, gift wrapped and all, a dark fairy tale for those cold winter nights.
For those unfamiliar with who exactly Krampus is, he’s a figure from European folklore. His origins stretch back to the days before Christianity, and he is essentially the evil twin of jolly Saint Nicholas. Some would even argue that we created Santa Claus to light the darkness that is Krampus. Instead of coal in your stocking, he’d kidnap naughty children or those who lost faith in the holiday spirit and eat them. Good times.
With Christmas approaching, Sarah (Toni Collette: Hereditary) and Tom (Adam Scott: Parks and Rec) and their two kids, cynical teenage daughter Beth (Stefania LaVie Owen) and young Max (Emjay Anthony), who’s still filled with the spirit of the holidays, are trying to survive the shopping and event filled days. They are also nervously awaiting the arrival of Sarah’s sister Linda (Alison Tolman) and her crew of delinquents and gun nuts headed by the hilariously abrasive Howard (David Koechner). As if things couldn’t get worse, they dragged along the queen grouch aunt Dorothy (Conchata Ferrell) to make sure the stress pot over-boils.
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This movie could become just another modern-day Christmas Carol rip-off from this point on. Still, in Mike Dougherty fashion, we introduce the supernatural instead as Max rips up his letter to Santa after being embarrassed by his cousins for still believing. Immediately unleashing a blizzard over the neighborhood that comes out of nowhere and holds within it something sinister.
As the family is attacked by evil gingerbread cookies, demonic cherubs, murderous robots, and of course, a teddy bear with razor-sharp teeth, the families put aside their differences to try and survive the night. Only Tom’s elderly mother (Krista Stadler) has a clue that the legend of Krampus is absolute, from her encounter with him when she was just a child. Told through beautiful animation, she tells the family of the ways to survive an encounter with the anti-Santa. But will it be enough to save them from themselves or the cruel fate awaiting them in the hands of Krampus and his minions?
With all the chaos and creature effects, you would think this could error on the side of campy as it gets going. What sells the film’s terror is the notion that every actor is playing their roles as genuine as they can. Playing it straight allows the insanity to take a different tone and keep the audience grounded with the family’s reactions. Collette, Scott, Koechner, and Tolman all bring their A-game as always. The way they bounce off each other sells the emotion, terror, and humor needed to round out this kind of feature nicely.
The creature designs and effects were all created by WETA workshop out of New Zealand. You might recognize this name as the SFX House that won all those Oscars for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. So, the level of mastery that went into the monster-making was top of the line. With remote-controlled, actor-propelled, and hand puppeteer creatures mixed with digital enhancements, the production opted to keep the practical effects alive that was so prevalent in the inspiring films of the era.
For a heartfelt Christmas tale invaded by murderous toys and demonic elves, look no further than Krampus. With great heartfelt performances, provocative lore, unique creatures, and humor, it hits the sweet spot for various tastes. Perhaps a bit much for the still believing in Santa crowd; this is a gateway horror film for those kids who feel a little adventurous. Krampus will be the perfect seasonal viewing for any horror fan with a strong story and just the right touch of scares. Just make sure you keep the faith or expect a visit from Krampus himself. 3.5/5
Krampus is currently streaming on FXNow and you can currently order the Naughty Cut of Krampus with extras and deleted scenes from the Shout! Factory. Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi and more.
K.B. O’Neil is an artist, writer and musician living in Cincinnati, Ohio. He loves movies, books, video games, snuggling his two pups and all things Horror. When not working he can be found getting into adventures with his wife and their new daughter.