Krampus review: A sleigh ride that would work a lot better were it to lay off the holiday cookies.
Krampus review
As much as it ’tis the season to be jolly’, a good scare never goes amiss during the Yuletide period. This year’s offering is from Michael Dougherty, the mind behind Trick ‘r’ Treat, and sees an extended family terrorised by the mythic Krampus, a kind of anti-Santa who punishes the naughty with more than just a lump of coal.
The lore may have been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until a few years ago and the release of Rare Exports, that Krampus came into the media realm. Since then he has become the go-to seasonal villain and appears in three films this year alone. The latest of those films has the added bonus of being released to coincide with the annual Krampus celebrations – Krampusnacht which occurs on December 5th. But is it any good?
The answer is yes, and no. Krampus starts strongly with a nice real-life comment on what Christmas seems to have become about in recent years with a chaotic shopping scrum (think black Friday sale). The strong opening is followed closely by an interesting thirty to forty minutes wherein the film plays like a traditional horror film, though one with its tongue firmly in cheek. It builds the atmosphere and tension well, one sequence involving the family’s teenage daughter is particularly nerve-shredding.
Krampus review
Sadly around the half way part Krampus falls down the comedy-horror plot line, throwing everything including the kitchen sink into it. It still works and is tolerable, it just comes a little out of left field and gives the feel that the film has a bad case of multiple personality disorder.
A film of two very different halves Krampus would play better were it to decide which side it wanted to be. It works well at both, but putting the different halves together doesn’t quite make the whole that was obviously intended.
Krampus review
As with all good horror films Dougherty teases Krampus throughout and gives glimpses here and there, following the mantra less is more. He is built up and up before the big reveal. Krampus himself is a visual delight but it is the sound design of the cloven-hoover beast that is really wondrous. The noise is so intense that if you watch it in the right conditions you’ll feel your chair vibrating. The infuriating thing though is that Dougherty does a Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla and barely utilises the titular character. Instead the film focusses heavily on Krampus’ minions, and he has a few.
Rather than our dysfunctional family fighting the anti-Claus they find themselves pitted against grotesque killer teddy bears, Christmas angels and Jack-in-the-Boxes, as well as an army of creepy elves and malevolent CGI gingerbread men. The range of opponents and time given to each gives Krampus the feel of something akin to one of the camp comedy horrors of the eighties like Puppet Master, Critters or The Ghoulies.
Krampus is a schizophrenic and psychedelic sleigh ride that would work a lot better were it to lay off the holiday cookies.
Krampus review by Kat Hughes, December 2015.
Krampus is in cinemas now.
