"Saint Nicholas is not coming this year. Instead, a much darker, ancient spirit. He and his helpers did not come to give, but to take."

Year: 2015

Directed by: Michael Dougherty

Written by: Todd Casey, Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields

There's no Christmas spirit in this household! The whole family is gathered - for better or worse - to spend the holiday together. The only one trying to keep up the spirit is the son, Max, but even he can't stand his cousins' bullying him. He gives up his hopes for the Christmas, and accidentally invites an evil spirit to the neighbourhood.

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Let's be honest here. Who would go see this movie and thinking it actually might be good? 

I did. I hoped it would be scary and good and it would ruin the whole Xmas for me, since I hate Christmas.

Then I learnt it is a comedy. I had to abandon my hopes. That's because horror comedies usually aren't that good. There is usually too much comedy and not enough horror, when it should be the other way around. 

The good parts of this movie are the beginning and the end. Really. I can't name anything else.

Seriously, the first time when the Krampus (voiced by Gideon Emery!!! (as if he said anything)) is introduced, that moment is perfectly scary. It's amazing and so skilfully made. The ending was amazing because it felt like a great disappointment and you are ready to sigh and demand your money back. But! Oh, how skilfully they must've planned that end.

The middle part of the movie isn't that good, and the very beginning before Krampus. That means most of the movie.

After Krampus is first introduced, nothing is as good and terrifying as that moment. There are moments that build up the tension and you feel something horrible coming up, but you are let down. Krampus is ruined as well. He stops being scary after the audience could see him. After he is shown it ruins the feeling. It definitely ruined it, because when you don't see him, you build something in your mind that the true face of Krampus can never be as terrifying as the idea of him. 

The comedy part of this movie really succeeds. The mystery is, was some of the humour intentional or not? Some of the scenes seem like they are meant to be terrifying, but they are so ridiculous there's no other choice but to laugh. But I guess gingerbread men are meant to be hilarious - and they are. They are weird and funny in a really disturbing way. 

The dialogue succeeds really well at being funny, and it had the strengths of both horror and comedy - and the weaknesses of comedy.

Krampus might have some really good parts, but it really isn't worth your money. It's really boring, and horror movies are not meant to be boring. If you really want to see it, you're going to be disappointed. It doesn't give much new to the audience. It's boring, and its potential is flashed too rarely. Do not bother.

But was it better than the Christmas themed play our school did? Yes, yes it was.

☆☆☆

3 / 10

I honestly feel so weird about Gideon Emery. How? Why? 

Another familiar name pops up though - Zach Shields, one of the writers! I had to think about it for a minute, but I finally could place his name somewhere. He's the second member of Dead Man's Bones, alongside with Ryan Gosling. Which is why I'll take this time and recommend Dead Man's Bones, it's amazing band, which plays kind of like romantic eerie ghost love songs. 

Check this band out!