As a cinephile who has spent countless nights huddled under blankets watching horror films during the holiday season, I can confidently say that Krampus stands tall among its fellow Christmas horrors. Having grown up with a love for both classic Christmas movies and slasher flicks, this film was like a gift from Santa himself – a unique blend of heartwarming family dynamics and bone-chilling terror.
Christmas horror has become a subgenre unto itself, a refuge for those who love to inject a little Halloween revelry into their holiday festivities. It’s home to one of the earliest slasher movies, iconic creature features like Gremlins, and just recently added the gorefest Terrifier 3 to its ranks. But one of the best, and least talked about, examples has to be 2015’s Krampus, a film that strikes an ideal balance between its horror and Christmas movie elements.
Under the guidance of Michael Dougherty, director of “Trick r’ Treat”, this film garnered modest financial success upon release, received decent reviews, and has since cultivated a small but dedicated fanbase over the past nine years. For those unfamiliar with it or who haven’t watched it in a while, its commentaries on excessive consumerism and societal divisions have grown even more pertinent in the ensuing almost-decade. Movie enthusiasts seeking an alternative to the typical heartwarming Christmas movies, here’s your solution!
‘Krampus’ Satirizes Christmas Movie Conventions
For those unfamiliar, Krampus could most likely be characterized as a blend of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Gremlins, and The Mist. The film takes the premise of Christmas Vacation, where an upper-middle-class family is trapped with their annoying working-class relatives during the holidays, and adds a heavy dose of isolation horror and creature effects. Furthermore, it targets excessive consumption and how the season intended for unity so often becomes a platform for our baser instincts to emerge.
The movie starts with chaotic scenes of people scuffling over sale items at a department store, crushing workers unluckily in their way, amidst Bing Crosby’s melodious yet ironic tune. These gruesome images then shift to a boy named Max Engel (Emjay Anthony) engaged in a brawl with another kid, until his parents, Tom (Adam Scott) and Sarah (Toni Collette), intervene. This initial sequence foreshadows the movie’s overall theme, where traditional holiday imagery is twisted into disturbing forms.
Max encounters a predicament that many children in holiday films often face: though he’s matured enough to understand the truth, he continues to cherish the idea of Santa Claus. His parents and sister Beth (Stefania LaVie Owen) are hesitant to shatter his illusion, while they harbor affection for it. Max’s German grandmother “Omie” (Krista Stadler), who represents an older era, is more open to supporting this belief, as she retains some room for enchantment. Tom and Sarah aren’t poor parents in the slightest, but their focus on work leaves them less available for family moments due to Tom’s demanding job.
When Sarah’s sister Linda (Allison Tolman) shows up with her family – husband Howard (David Koechner), kids Stevie (Lolo Owen), Jordan (Queenie Samuel), and Howie (Maverick Flack), along with their sharp-tongued Aunt Dorothy (Conchata Ferrell) – the tension escalates, making an already uncomfortable situation worse. Following a heated argument at dinner, Max rips apart his heartfelt letter to Santa and tosses it aside, inadvertently inviting the holiday demon and his team into their home. This is later explained through an animated interlude similar to Rankin-Bass classics by Omie. The initial setup is typical of Christmas movies, but things take a peculiar turn as the story unfolds.
How ‘Krampus’ Subverts Audience Expectations
One effective tactic in “Krampus” is its development of complex characters rather than stereotypes. Characters like Howard initially appear as boorish red-state types, yet reveal a readiness and willingness to expose vulnerability. Tom, initially portrayed as a distracted businessman, uncovers hidden reserves of strength and ingenuity in emergency situations. Even seemingly virtuous Max exhibits an angry, aggressive side common in many young boys. These characters seem authentic, displaying moments of impulsiveness or selfishness that Krampus punishes harshly, but they are not truly deserving of such severe retribution.
Krampus, an entity hailing from a distinct era and locale, embodies a stark morality that seems outdated in today’s world. Originally used to scare children into good behavior by threatening them with punishment for misdeeds, this method lacks the flexibility needed for complex understanding. The wrongdoings of the Engels are no different from those commonly committed today.
It appears that each passing year, the Christmas season starts creeping up earlier and earlier, its festive spirit encroaching increasingly upon Halloween’s fall domain. For those horror enthusiasts eager to strike back, the movie Krampus makes an excellent choice for your annual viewing list. Watch it now on Max.
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2024-12-05 03:31