Review of Krampus (2015) by Daniel H — 25 Feb 2016

A well-above-average ho-ho-ho-horror film with a shivery sense of winter weirdland and anarchic ultra-violence, it's also a strong candidate to become a holiday favourite thanks to a perfectly judged punchline. If you love Gremlins but don't feel like rewatching Gremlins, consider Krampus a worthwhile diet caffeine-free alternative. Krampus is undoubtedly slight, but it's also a lot of fun as it rails creatively against the warm fuzziness of most cinematic Christmas fare. Dougherty harks back to the 80s and early 90s with gleeful abandon, lovingly paying homage to Joe Dante, Steven Spielberg and John Hughes along the way and it's a whole heap of bloody fun. Krampus is not for the faint of heart or for the audience looking for a feel-good holiday movie. It's for those looking for a few good scares this holiday season and for a scary movie that embraces its concept and does it deliciously well. Shocks and jumps come thick and fast, but rather than relying on cheap thrills, Krampus embraces its silliness and takes the audience on a hugely entertaining ride. The script is packed with great gags, both visual and verbal, while the film puts over its central message and manages to sell its emotional moments without resorting to sugar-drenched sentimentality. Thanks to inspired creature effects, strong performances and a perfect balance between laughs and scares, Krampus deserves to become a perennial Christmas horror classic.

VERDICT: "High-Quality Stuff" - [Positive Reaction] This is a rating to a movie I view as very entertaining and well made, and definitely worth paying the full price at a theatre to see or own on DVD. It is not perfect, but it is definitely excellent. (Films that are rated 3.5 or 4 stars).