Fatman

Name: Fatman
Genre: Comedy
Released: November 13, 2020
Rating: 40
Cast: Bill Turnbull, Chance Hurstfield, Deborah Grover, Jordan Blais, Marianne Jean-Baptiste

2020

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Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 69 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 69 Ratings

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Fatman: You Still Have It

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Movie Details & Credits

Saban Films | Release Date: November 13, 2020 | R

Starring: Bill Turnbull, Chance Hurstfield, Deborah Grover, Jordan Blais, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Mel Gibson, Michelle Lang, Paulino Nunes, Shaun Benson, Walton Goggins

Movie Facts:

Available On Demand November 24.

Summary: To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson), also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly skilled assassin (Walton Goggins), hired by a precocious 12-year-old after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.

Director: Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: R

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Critic Reviews

Bob Strauss

Nov 12, 2020

In the humor department, Fatman’s is a scattershot but often clever affair thanks to the film’s director brothers, Ian and Eshom Nelms. Their last feature, the eccentric desert noir “Small Town Crime,” worked positive human connections into a dark, violent framework, so that seems to be a theme dear to the Tulare County-raised siblings. Read full review

Richard Whittaker

Nov 12, 2020

As far as revisionist takes on the Santa story go, Fatman is a long way from the whimsical charm of last year's Oscar-nominated Klaus. Yet for all its bizarre Spaghetti Western nihilism, sporadically going full Franco Nero Django bloodfest, Fatman has an oddly warm heart under its brutal exterior. Read full review

Mike Scott

Dec 17, 2020

There’s more than enough deranged originality there — and Christmas spirit, when all is said and done — that it gets the job done, in a cheap thrills, guilty pleasure kind of way. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Nov 9, 2020

At times it’s a learn-your-lesson story. At times it’s a shoot-’em-up that does not skimp on the gore. Whatever trope it dips into, it does so without much originality. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Nov 13, 2020

There’s nothing wrong with subtle or contextual humor, of course, but here, frankly, it feels like a waste of a pretty great concept. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Nov 12, 2020

Most of their jokes miss the mark and the movie gets lost in action/thriller territory that’s anything but thrilling. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Nov 9, 2020

As funny as a mass shooting at the North Pole, and relying on just such a finale to sell it, Fatman is one of the epic miscalculations of any cinematic holiday season. Read full review

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User Reviews

antthegreat

Nov 25, 2020

movies so so stupid its great. Mel Gibson is perfect in this movie. while the plot is very childish the execution is A1. 100% recommend

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Hurricanejoelno

May 3, 2021

This has no right being as good as it is. The trailer tells you exactly what you're going to get and I came out of watching that movie feeling so good. It's a ridiculous idea they took completely serious and it works!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

markcd1234

Dec 22, 2020

One of those movies that is unlike any other, great to see something original these days.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

1Movieman

Nov 13, 2020

I liked the movie. The theme was crazy but I still liked the film. I have liked a movie that got a bad review and have walked out of a movie that got a good review.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Rincemac

Dec 26, 2020

Not the worst somewhat "Christmas" themed Santa movie you'll ever see, certainly not the best. But a solid performance from the main actors on what was likely a low production budget outweighs the at times long-drawn and somewhat convoluted 97 Minutes with a pretty fulminant finale.

I doNot the worst somewhat "Christmas" themed Santa movie you'll ever see, certainly not the best. But a solid performance from the main actors on what was likely a low production budget outweighs the at times long-drawn and somewhat convoluted 97 Minutes with a pretty fulminant finale.

I do have to admit I like Mel Gibson, and I do separate the actor Mel Gibson from why so many seem to "hate" him and would like to disavow him and even his more than solid past works.

So, cancel culture aside, I do think he delivered a very solid performance as "Fatman", named "Chris Cringle" in this far-flung idea that, somehow, Santa does exist, has a government contract to fulfil his annual toy quota and to "keep up the spirit of Christmas" while he's working his Elfs in his Sweatshop.

Walton Goggins as an adquately "villainized" character is up and about to get a contract from a very, very naughty child prodigy who's putting a hit out on old Santa for all the wrong reasons.

To see how this plays out will be a somewhat boring affair likely for younger viewewers (let's call them Gen Z, shall we?) brought up on 5-20 second cut segments entertainment also thanks to TikTok and whatnot. This has long cuts. Loooong Cuts. Sprawling expositions. Unnecessary drawn-out segments are in there as well that add nothing to story but are interesting aspects of the characters portrayed.

These failings are offset by as many lovable as unlovable characters who are all given adquate background set in a pretty interesting story. The only downside is that for the one big bogeyman, "Mr. Slim" (played Walton Goggins), this fails to set up his motivation. While giving him ample room to establish again and again he's a primo A-Hole and AAA Antagonist, we only get a slight glimpse into what might have brought about his miserable choice of profession through a very short scene I found a) too late and b) highly clichéd.

Plus, prepare to wait a long time for the "Action" part here, as the movie draws out to full length before we get to that. But it'll be worth it I think if you're into slower-going drama/action and it definitely has some strong characters and ideas worked into it.

Nevertheless, give this a berth if you're expecting an Action Fest (it's not) or a 10/10 story - it's more a 5/10 cinematography, 7/10 Story and 1/10 Action!

Worth a look for a boring Sunday afternoon.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Craftnight405

May 9, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Der reiche und böse Junge Billy Wenan bekommt dieses Jahr nur ein Stück Kohle vom Weihnachtsmann, weil er sich schlecht benommen hat. Daraufhin schickt er den Auftragsmörder Jonathan Miller (Walton Goggins) der keine guten Erfahrungen mit dem Weihnachtsmann gemacht hat. Währenddessen hat der Weihnachtsmann Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson) selber Probleme, da die Kinder immer böser werden und die Weihnachtsstimmung immer weniger wird, haben er und seine Frau nicht mehr genug Geld um zu überleben. Das führt dazu, dass sie Maßnahmen tätigen müssen, die ihm nicht gefallen.

Mel Gibson spielt Santa super und ist einer der wenigen Charaktere, die sympathisch sind und ein wenig Charakter haben. Der Junge Billy ist richtig, schmierig und ekelhaft und man wünscht ihm nur das Schlechteste. Jonathan Miller ist der typische Bösewicht in solchen Filmen und ist nur mit reinen Klischees behaftet. Er ist böse auf Santa, weil dieser ihm keine Geschenke gegeben hat, richtig neues macht der Film nicht. Während das Konzept und auch der Anfang des Filmes interessant aussah, musste man früh feststellen, dass der Film nichts einhält, was er verspricht. Schwarzer Humor wie behauptet ist nicht wirklich vorhanden, wenn nur ganz kurz das gesagt wird, dass es Kinderarbeit gibt und diese mehr gefördert wird als Arbeit für Erwachsene. Der Film versucht das Konzept Weihnachtsmann realistisch darzustellen, in dem der Weihnachtsmann einen roten LKW fährt und kein Schlitten, außerdem hat er Geldsorgen und auch er hat mit Bürokratie zu kämpfen. Der Film wird, solange er geht, immer schwächer und schwächer und auch leider langweiliger. Erst am Ende treffen der Killer und Chris aufeinander und kämpfen gegeneinander. Der Kampf ist nicht wirklich interessant gemacht. Die Story mit den Elfen ist nicht interessant und ist langweilig. Ein Problem ist es auch, dass viele Sachen am Ende richtig unrealistisch sind, was der Film ja eigentlich nicht sein möchte. So schafft es ein Killer eine US-Army im Alleingang zu besiegen. Am Ende dachte ich, dass der Film wenigstens konsequent bleibt und Chris wirklich stirbt. Doch auch das haben sie sich nicht getraut und haben am Ende nur noch den bösen Jungen bestraft.

Fatman ist eine reine Enttäuschung und zeigt einmal wieder, wie stark man ein gutes Konzept verkacken kann. Mel Gibson ist ein guter Cast gewesen und rettet den Film ein bisschen. Solche Art von Filmen gibt es schon viele und dieser gehört definitiv zu einer der schlechtesten. Wenn man im Vergleich sich Violent Night anschaut, sieht man einen starken Qualitätsunterschied. Dort passt nämlich der Humor und der Film wird nie langweilig. Also wenn man so eine Art von Film zur Weihnachtszeit sich anschauen möchte, sollte man Violent Night oder Kevin allein Zuhause sich anschauen.

4/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Xand

Nov 25, 2020

0/0. Is the worst movie I've seen this year, probably in my life. I really want my money and time back, despite I am really tolerant with bad movies.
With a crazy premise, you would expect something smart, surprising or whatever in a positive sense.
We can't talk about a "development", the0/0. Is the worst movie I've seen this year, probably in my life. I really want my money and time back, despite I am really tolerant with bad movies.
With a crazy premise, you would expect something smart, surprising or whatever in a positive sense.
We can't talk about a "development", the plot doesn't worth to talk about it.
The funny situations are not funny at all, it feels when someone boring tells you a joke and you don't know how to react.
I don't know what was all about. Someone had the idea of create a different kind of Christmass movie but everything was way too boring and nonsense.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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