Review of Fatman (2020) by Soulwarfare — 12 Dec 2020

Fatman is a film with such a ridiculous premise that you wonder how it was even made. The premise is that " Chris Cringle, also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military to save his declining business. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly-skilled assassin, hired by a precocious 12-year-old, after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking". I was very intrigued by this movie and the fact that Mel Gibson himself is playing Santa Clause. So was the movie a jolly good time or giant lump of coal?

Firstly, the idea and concept of this movie are great. It's ridiculous but it's different and a unique take on the legend himself. The director/writer (Eshom Nelms) manages to somehow bring this legend and make him grounded in reality (sort of). Seeing Chris's/Santa's struggle with declining income due to lack of nice kids and having to not make toys but help the military is intriguing. You're watching this movie hoping to see how Chris/Santa overcomes this dilemma and you want to see him be fulfilled by the end. There is also the massive tension with the impending Hitman getting closer to discovering Santa's location that adds some thrills to the movie. The third act is also a blast to watch.

Mel Gibson as the titular character is great casting as well. Mel doesn't phone it in and gives a genuinely strong performance. One moment that sticks in my mind is the part where Santa has to tell the elves that they have to work with the Military. Through Mel's eyes and his bodywork, he convincingly shows the audience how heartbreaking this is for Santa and its surprisingly quite moving. Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Ruth Cringle/Mrs Clause is also really good and her interactions with Chris Cringle/Santa (Mel Gibson) is where the heart of this movie is. The chemistry between the two is heartwarming and makes for an enjoyable watch when the two are together. Chris is grumpy and frustrated the world but Ruth gives him the words and encouragement he needs which is what keeps him together. Walton Goggins as Jonathan Miller the Hitman is good casting as well. He is quirky yet scary and Walton gives a good performance in conveying that. However, the movie does have some pacing issues and can feel quite slow at times. There are a lot of scenes that are just people walking that I feel could have been cut. Likewise, there are a couple of scenes involving the Hitman shopping which I don't think needed to be in the movie and slowed the pacing. Some scenes add to world-building but not the main narrative such as how elves work or how Santa is stronger than normal people. Nonetheless, the scenes don't amount to anything as Santa doesn't ever use his super strength or how the elves operate doesn't matter as they aren't that important to the main story. The 100-minute runtime could have been shortened by at least 10 minutes in my opinion.

The movie also has a fair amount of tone clashes. When the movie begins with the kid, it feels like a family comedy. When it goes to the hitman the movie feels like a dark comedy and after getting the call to kill Santa it feels like a thriller. When it comes to Santa it is character-driven drama and then the third act is an action movie. The movie will constantly change perspective from Santa to the Hitman and occasionally to the kid leading to some jarring tone changes. It doesn't always mesh well and can be a bit annoying when it goes to the kid as those parts aren't as enjoyable as the other stuff.

Overall, the movie is surprisingly enjoyable. Despite the absurd premise, the movie delivers a relatively entertaining movie with some potent and heartwarming scenes. It may not be a full-on action movie that marketing might lead you to believe but it is certainly a good time.