Review of A Christmas Horror Story (2015) by Thequietgamer — 01 Jan 2016

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.