X
- 2015
- Not Rated
- Image Entertainment
- 1 h 39 m
- 2015
- Not Rated
- Image Entertainment
- 1 h 39 m
Summary Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, peace and goodwill. But for some folks in the small town of Bailey Downs, it turns into something much less festive. When Krampus - the anti-Santa who punishes the naughty children - is summoned by a young boy, everyone’s fight for survival begins. [RLJ Entertainment]
Directed By: Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban, Brett Sullivan
- 2015
- Not Rated
- Image Entertainment
- 1 h 39 m
- 2015
- Not Rated
- Image Entertainment
- 1 h 39 m
A Christmas Horror Story
49
6.8
Where to Watch
Summary Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, peace and goodwill. But for some folks in the small town of Bailey Downs, it turns into something much less festive. When Krampus - the anti-Santa who punishes the naughty children - is summoned by a young boy, everyone’s fight for survival begins. [RLJ Entertainment]
Directed By: Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban, Brett Sullivan
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or average
Based on 5 Critic Reviews
49
20% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
80% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or average
Based on 5 Critic Reviews
49
20% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
80% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The film is constantly undercutting its own ability to generate any real suspense because whenever one of the stories begins to generate any real head of steam, viewers are jerked into another one and the whole process starts over again.
The anthology is a mixed stocking; if you reach inside, something's likely to grab you.
User Score
Generally favorable
Based on 24 User Ratings
6.8
54% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
42% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
4% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally favorable
Based on 24 User Ratings
6.8
54% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
42% Mixed
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
4% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Like all anthology movies, this movie has some parts that are stronger than others, but on the whole, I found it very enjoyable. The film is split between four stories; a haunted school basement that had been the scene of a mysterious murder the previous year investigated by three student film-makers, a family heading into the woods to choose a tree get more than they bargained for, a bickering family visit a relative and meet Krampus, and (my personal favourite) Santa's workshop gets overrun by zombie elves. These stories flit back and forth between each other (I can't help but feel it might have worked better to tell each story in full) and are held together by our "narrator", the local DJ played by William Shatner.
The movie is a mixture of styles as one might expect from an anthology, and manages to include some big jump-scares, big laughs, creepiness and gore. If you're a horror fan, you owe it to yourself to give A Christmas Horror Story a go this December.
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None is particularly original (though there is one good final twist), but they’re all reasonably entertaining.
As horror movies go, this one's not especially tense or scary. Instead, it's eerie, provocative and at times ridiculously violent. The ending feels like a cop-out after so much creative mayhem.
Unsparingly gory and on occasion actually shock-inducing, it can’t help falling prey to Genre Overreach syndrome, in which horror fans turned horror creators maniacally pile up their favorite terrorizing tropes, as if they’d never get the chance again.
Good, but not great horror film. All the stories are entertaining, but none of the are super scary.
The wraparound (9)-
Throughout the film, the wraparound with William Shatner as a radio personality was just decent, but the twist at the end really works.
The ghost story (6)- The weakest. Efficiently done, especially with the kills, but its the slowest-paced and the ending is underwhelming.
Changeling segment (8)- Slow-paced, but effectively creepy and tense.
Krampus segment (8)- A killer Krampus, 'nuff said. Also, the makeup for Krampus was pretty good.
Santa segment (10)- The highlight: Santa fighting zombie eleves is as fun as it sounds.
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Several interconnected, Christmas-themed horror tales come together to create a great holiday horror movie. With different styles of horror used for each tale there's a little something here for every horror buff. Hauntings, possessions, and even some B-rated cheesiness, this movie ensures that winter's chill won't be the only thing to keep you shivering on Christmas Eve.
It's greatest strength is in it's ability to effectively build tension. Once the plots finally start to pick up you realize these aren't the scariest tales out there, but up until that point it keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation. The ability to pull from Christmas history and legends like Krampus, Santa, and even the birth of Jesus these stories get a feel of their own that sets them apart from the non-Christmas horror movies.
As far as production goes everything is well-done. Santa's battle against the zombie elves might be the most disappointing due to the bad acting, but it feels partly intentional due to the B-movie styling and an inability to take itself too seriously. It might be the weakest to watch, but it has the biggest payoff.
If you are looking for something different during the Christmas season and have a taste for horror then I recommend checking this out. The stories play out well and make excellent use of the Christmas theme. Actual scares may be lacking, but it's an entertaining and likable package regardless. Who knows? It might just become one of your new holiday favorites. I know it's one of mine.
I give the movie an 8.4/10
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Awards
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
• 4 Wins & 4 Nominations
Writers Guild of Canada
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Directors Guild of Canada
• 1 Nomination
