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| On VOD/DVD October 4th |
The story doesn’t break any new ground in the world of
horror, but there is some great dialogue and an almost satirical take on the
genre. The dialogue and situations are very much R-rated, so this is one that I
suggest not letting the kiddies watch. Nunes does provide an interesting cast
of eclectic characters, who are given just the right amount of on screen time
before their untimely deaths occur. The pacing slows down a little bit in the
third act as the plot is wrapped up, but it doesn’t detract from the overall fun
of this one. Some horror fans are going to be displeased with the fact that
certain scenes and kills are similar to other classics within the genre,
because this could be described as being this year’s horror version of Stranger Things. So be warned in advance
if you don’t like movies or television shows that borrow elements of things from
your childhood that you love.
The camera work is decent, providing some nice establishing
shots and a willingness to stay on the graphic gore sequences. The lighting is
superb, with some nice shadows being cast on the actors and the use of
Christmas lights and Christmas themed colors to create a few distinctive
lighting effects. The acting isn’t going to win any Academy Awards, but it’s
good enough for this type of production. Depending on your personal viewpoint,
you will either find one of the main characters creepy or somewhat cheesy. The
actor Lito Velasco that portrays the Santa killer is excellent, creating a unique and
nuanced character through just the use of his physicality. It is this type of
character that makes a horror picture memorable.
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| I should have left Santa some milk and cookies |
The overall look and practical effects are outstanding. The Santa mask that was created or discovered is absolutely brilliant and scary. The practical effects and high body count are what will most likely sell this one, Nunes does a fantastic job of making sure to keep the blood flowing and having each kill be distinctive and superb in its own way.
This motion picture has enough cool scares and WTF crazy
moments to please most hardcore horror fans. This really has the potential to
be something that is remembered, garnering a cult status or even a future
sequel.
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Score
-Raul Vantassle