Krampus

Krampus isn’t what I was dreaming of when the project was announced, but even the way it is, it’s not able to reach to the TOP. Which doesn’t mean that it is a bad movie. This time, Dougherty has done with Christmas the same he did a couple of years ago with Halloween, a nice and atmospheric horror comedy, where the humour, as well as the fear and the tension are effective in each of the sequences. But it’s just not completely outstanding in any way. If it’d stayed only with Krampus and his elves, it would have been better, IMHO. The living gifts are more or less cool, but the bloody living gingerbread men are already too much. And I was also surprised with how fast everything ends. In a only couple of minutes about half the characters are reduced in uninteresting ways, to the point that I felt as if the creators already wanted to get rid of them, but didn’t feel like writing another twenty minutes of script. 70% and I would love to see a gritty German Alpine prequel. (24/12/2015)

The Czech devil has an exceptional position on a global scale. He is more of a confused companion for gamblers, or an executor of justice where secular justice is a mockery of morality. Krampus is a different sort. At first glance, fear emanates from him and he exudes the threat of brutal violence and mystical cruelty. The movie, which entices with the use of the name "Krampus," announces that it will be a form of entertainment for a specifically horror-oriented audience. But actions speak louder than words and this is also reflected in the quite mixed reviews. Let's be honest, how many horror comedies have you seen that weren't crippled in one way or another, or had both legs amputated? No matter what Dougherty does, he is unable to generate scares, at least not in a way that today's hardened fans of horror would fear. It's a bit better when it comes to the humor. Dougherty has learned a lot from Terry Gilliam and his devilish gingerbread cookies are successful, he has a sense of irony and occasionally comes up with a decent joke. He also relies on a likable cast of actors, led by the talented Toni Collette. Unfortunately, he is not creative enough to develop his ideas into a truly functional and visually appealing form. He relies on frantic, chaotic editing, and annoyingly stereotyped characters within the family, and he is not daring enough to turn family values upside down and mock Christmas. When I remember how Ari Aster utilized Toni Collette in Hereditary, I have the feeling that Dougherty is wasting the acting potential of his ensemble, as well as the atmosphere and ideas. The film is unfinished and rarely truly atmospheric. My review ranges between 2 and 3 stars, and considering the weak reviews he received from horror fans, this time I will support Dougherty and give the film a weak three-star rating. Overall impression: 50%. (21/12/2019)

Christmas home invasion creature feature black comedy with an excellent snowy backdrop. Dougherty fuses German folklore and American genre traditions into a sufficiently entertaining mix in which children are devoured and the titular devil doesn't grow tiresome thanks to a late entry. Formal finesse, good actors and unobtrusive film references are sometimes enough to satisfy, especially at Christmas. 70 % (16/12/2022)

The movie left much to be desired. Within the first few minutes, a sense of irritation crept over me, only to be replaced by sheer boredom once the mindless herd was gone. It became clear that there was no one to root for, as each family member seemed either unlikable or left me indifferent. Any attempt at comedy felt like a feeble imitation of Griswold's Christmas, stripped of all its humor by the three(!!!) screenwriters. Horror was notably absent. In the end, it amounted to little more than a background for mundane household chores. / Lesson learned: Ben Affleck's knack for facial expressions could make him an excellent Krampus. (23/12/2023)

The story of Krampus may be a bit simple, but it is packed with quite an action spectacle that will keep you entertained. It's something that won't scare you much, but it can sweep you away as very good entertainment. If you want to go to the movie theater to watch something that won't bore you, I think this is exactly the kind of film you should go see. Plus, it has that Christmas family spirit. (07/04/2016)