Review of Krampus (2015) by Tjman09 — 06 Dec 2015

Krampus is yet another Christmas horror-comedy that satirizes the american family, and the merriest time of the year. Beneath all of it’s scary creatures, and comedy oriented cast is a message about family, and the christmas spirit. Krampus is a funny, and often scary Christmas horror movie, despite its weak and somewhat confusing ending. In an age when Christmas time means something different to everybody, this movie is especially impressive because it appeals to all of those people.

Krampus’ humor is one of the film’s biggest strengths as it opens with a hilarious black friday scene. The humor came as no surprise, considering the cast, but what was slightly surprising was that the comedy was more black-comedy, which blended beautifully with the horror tones. The film in many ways is a satire on our society in general, poking fun at how divided we are and our overall apathy towards the things that matter. Although the film has a pretty biting take on the american family, it has a somewhat positive outlook on it.

The creatures in the film are a combination of gremlins, and a terrible holiday nightmare. The different types of creatives creatures the film uses is truly impressive and terrifying. The black comedy blends beautifully with the twisted variations on holiday toys and treats. Despite all of this the film does have it’s share of weaknesses. The most notable is the ending.

The film has a good narrative flow, and pushes through until the last 10 minutes of the film. In the last 10 minutes, one characters turns a 180 and the plot becomes confusing. Without giving anything away, the film has multiple endings and by the end it’s tough to tell what happened. On top of the weak ending, many times the film feels like a gremlins rip off. On top of that the satire on the family falls a little flat, as many characters remain stereotypes.

Krampus does deliver on the humor and the horror that it promises, and if that’s all you’re expecting then you won’t be disappointed. The film even gives a funny look at the american society, even if it’s a little thin. In the end Krampus is a fun take on Christmas horror, and horror comedy, so if you like either of those genres, check it out.