December 2, 2015

Fiends, this Friday, December 4th, you are in for an early Christmas treat. Because that’s when Michael Dougherty’s new flick KRAMPUS hits theaters and if you were a fan of what he did for Halloween with TRICK ‘R TREAT, then you’re going to love what he has in store for you with his horror take on the holidays! Need a little more convincing? Here are 5 things you can look forward to when you see KRAMPUS.

It’s really, really funny!

I literally laughed out loud at the opening sequence, which perfectly sets up and embodies what the holidays mean to the average person these days. And there were plenty of other laughs along the way. But don’t get me wrong, the movie isn’t necessarily going for campy laughs, unintentional or otherwise. The humor comes from the truth. The Christmas season is pretty much a time where we have to grin and bear it, despite how we may really feel about our families. KRAMPUS is the first new movie in years to perfectly encapsulate that Amblin vibe. When I say it’s funny, think of the way GREMLINS is funny, but also inventive, terrifying and just a whole lot of fun.

It’s Got A Stellar Cast

It’s rare for any horror film to sport this many wonderful and talented, recognizable faces, which was part of what made TRICK ‘R TREAT so much fun. Now, this isn’t an anthology like that film was, so the majority of this cast is part of an ensemble. This includes Adam Scott, always hilarious on shows like PARKS AND RECREATION, but fitting in comfortably here in the lead with that “every man” quality. Toni Collette plays his wife, Sam, a loving mother and the central hub of the family we spend the movie with, which also includes her sister, Linda (FARGO’s Allison Tolman), and her husband, Howard, the great David Koechner, stealing the show as usual. When the movie begins, you completely understand why the various members of this family have beef and hate each other, but once the mystical shit starts to hit the fan, they band together and you really start to fall in love with all these quirky characters. This cast is a big part of what makes that all work. Emjay Anthony as our lead Max, Krista Stadler as grandma Omi and Conchata Ferrell as Aunt Dorothy are all stand outs as well.

Creepy little critters & monsters!

I really just want to take a look at Michael Dougherty’s sketch book, because in the same way that he designed TRICK ‘R TREAT’s Sam to be both equally cute and creepy, he applies that same formula to your average adorable Christmas toys and makes them menacing and dangerous. Part of the fun was seeing each new one get introduced and coming to the realization of what evil & twisted thing they were intended to do. I never realized Christmas could be this sinister. I mean, it’s hard not to be overcome with joy when you’re introduced to a killer gingerbread man cookie. Or terrified once you come face to face with a giant clown jack-in-the-box with sharp fangs. But it’s all whimsical and awe-inspiring. Beyond the toys, we’ve got the creepiest darned Elves to grace the screen in ages. And, of course, Krampus, himself. If anything, after seeing this, you’ll probably want to invest in this beautiful coffee table book on The Art of Krampus just to get a better look at all of these wonderful creatures.

It’s got heart

At the core of any great holiday themed movie is heart. And KRAMPUS, believe it or not, has a lot of it. All our great Christmas stories are fables meant to remind us not to take things for granted, to be a little kinder to each other especially around this time of year, and to be good for goodness sake. Most importantly, don’t forget the true meaning of Christmas or the consequences could be disastrous. You need a central conflict like Krampus and his creatures attacking in the middle of a snow storm in order for this family to come together and be selfless for each other. Underneath the horror and humor is a great, classic Christmas movie.

It’s a Krampus horror movie!

Look! It’s a Krampus horror movie! In the last 5 years, it’s amazing how quickly Krampus has snuck back into the public subconscious. And if you skim Amazon right now, you’ll find a dozen inferior knock off movies trying to capitalize on the Anti-Santa Claus, but make no mistake, this holiday season, there’s only one great KRAMPUS movie and it’s this one. Much like TRICK ‘R TREAT almost immediately became an annual Halloween favorite, Michael Dougherty has created yet another horror holiday classic destined to be on heavy rotation every Christmas.

In theaters Friday, December 4th!