Krampus (2015)

"Krampus" stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, and Allison Tolman. Released on December 4, 2015, the film is about a dysfunctional family who must survive against a demonic force who punishes non-believers.

The film is directed by Michael Dougherty, who also directed Trick 'r Treat, and it is based on the character from Alpine folklore. We haven't seen that many horror films that set around Christmas time throughout the years, but all that changes when this film came around. What got me interested in this film was the concept. I usually believe that when children are naughty during the holiday season, Santa Claus gives them coal. I never would have realized that an evil version of Santa would punish naughty children, let alone killing them. But back to the topic at hand, does this film have enough holiday scares to continue the trend of surprisingly good horror films like Unfriended and Crimson Peak or does it wind up on Santa's naughty list?

Pros:
Good performances from the cast.

Decent mixture of comedy and horror.

Solid uses of intensity and creepy atmosphere.

The effects, both CGI and practical, were really impressive.

Cons:
A little bit predictable at times.
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A couple of horror cliches.

Final thoughts: Although it does feel like a typical horror film or an unaired episode of the Goosebumps television show, "Krampus" offers the right amount of creepiness and Christmas cheer to make this a worthy addition to the list of surprisingly entertaining horror films of 2015. I had a good time watching this film and I'm hoping to see other horror films like this soon. Maybe a horror film set around Easter or Saint Patrick's Day, perhaps? If you're looking for a good scare this holiday season, then this is the film for you. Also, let me remind the parents that even though this film is rated PG-13, there are some scenes that can be frightening for younger kids, especially the monstrous toys and evil gingerbread men. The film does teach kids to be good around the holidays, but I believe there are more possible ways of getting them to behave rather than showing them a film about an evil Santa who punishes children and kills people. That's just how I feel.

B