Gruß vom Krampus! [via Splitsider]

Not exactly, but it’s still good goofy fun.

Cult director Michael Dougherty is at the helm of this holiday horror-comedy, and what he does not bring in nuance he certainly makes up for in jump-scares, delightful irreverence, and a fluency in B-horror tropes. Krampus is a movie that has clearly been made for fans of cult holiday horror films like Trick ‘r Treat (Dougherty’s directorial debut from 2007), Santa’s Slay (2005), or ThanksKilling (2009). There is no real desire to weave a compelling story or provide too much development for any of the characters, the whole point is to get through the setup as quickly as possible and watch Krampus and his “helpers” get down to business punishing the naughty. When you stop to think too much about the story you find yourself wondering why Omi waited so long to tell her family about her Christmas-induced PTSD, why Tom and Sarah allow their daughter Beth to go out into a blizzard in the late afternoon completely alone, or why the paranoid gun-nut relatives Howard and Linda would bring a huge sack of unmarked packages into the house even after the delivery man confirms he did not bring them. But why focus on such things when there’s a dumbfounded dysfunctional family being terrorized by evil gingerbread cookies, a huge Jack-in-the-box slug monster, monstrous teddy bears and tree angels with sharp teeth and doll eyes, and creepy elves in wooden masks?

SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT RIGHT NOW! SHOOT IT IN THE FACE! [via Gruesome Magazine]

The acting is good for a film that relies largely on tropes and stereotypes. Everyone hits the proper notes and nails that tricky middle ground between too-obnoxious-to-be-watchable and just-obnoxious-enough-to-enjoy-watching-their-suffering. Adam Scott and Toni Collette try to infuse some earnestness and pathos into their roles as the distracted, long-suffering parents of the central character, Max, but we can tell they are doomed from the start.

Just keep on believin’, Max. [via Screenrant]

That start, it should be mentioned, is perhaps the best sequence in the film. The opening credits roll and Bing Crosby plays over the slow-motion images of Christmas chaos unfolding: shoppers stampeding and attacking each other for bargains, children screaming and crying, and Max fighting on the floor with a classmate in the middle of the holiday play. Things are not going to end happily in this lost world, and by reminding us of humanity’s ugly side upfront, Krampus gives the audience an out to delight in its approaching comeuppance.

Keep the fire hot. [via Screenrant]

However, the fun of recognizable tropes in a genre-film is not exactly long-lived, and though Krampus is a good romp it’s ultimately fairly lukewarm. The scares are never all that scary, which results in this horror-comedy leaning heavily on the comedy. And that comedy is just okay. Nothing too daring or unexpected, just a lot of funny-but-predictable jokes and beats of faux-seriousness meant to make us giggle at the contrived nature of the film’s premise. When I go to see a movie that is actively trying to replicate “B-movie” tone and aesthetics, I expect something to be over-the-top original to make up for the fact that the whole thing is built on the repetition of certain character types and plot points. Krampus never quite delivers on this, so I was left feeling like it was a good movie to catch after dinner with a friend, but not one that I’ll need to see again.

Teddy Ruxpin is looking rough this year. [via Manapop]

I guess all the various puppets and special effects are the main thing that Krampus brings to the table, and they are certainly impressive. But I hardly go to see movies for the makeup, and though Krampus’ helpers are equal parts creepy and hilarious, they can’t carry the whole movie. If you’re a fan of the goofy irreverent horror-comedies that Krampus descends from, you’ll likely enjoy the ride, but don’t expect to be blown away. This is one present best unwrapped prepared (and possibly inebriated.)