Krampus (2015)

I ended up digging "Krampus" a bit more than I thought I would. I was initially a little 'put off' by the comedic factor I had been hearing about, but seeing as how I enjoyed "Trick 'r Treat", I figured it'd be worth seeing what else that director had up his sleeve. Turns out, the guy has a definite knack for holiday horror flicks.

Based on some Christmasy folklore, the Krampus is a demonic take on St. Nick that drags to Hell the loved ones of those who lose their xmas spirit. A young boy throws out his letter to Santa after being bullied by visiting relatives during the holiday season, thus ushering in the Krampus and his sack of evil creatures to whisk the family off, one by one...

Just an all-around cool Christmas horror flick, I thought. The humor/horror ratio is well balanced, if not keeping to a more serious, 'creepy' tone, overall. Definitely steering clear of the dreaded "spoof" territory which I was glad to see. The atmosphere is strong and the creatures are unique looking - the Krampus especially looking pretty badass. Wasn't too crazy about the evil gingerbread cookies, but, in the scheme of things, it didn't bother me too much.

In all, "Krampus" isn't a 'game changer' as far as the genre goes, but it's easily the best thing I've caught in the theater in a while and is your best bet if you're feeling 'festive' this holiday season and are in the market for an entertaining little flick. Recommended.