Dog’s Movie House: “Krampus” Twisted Holiday Fun!

Howdy Folks!  It’s The Kendog!

When I first saw the trailer for “Krampus” the new horror comedy from Michael Dougherty (Trick ‘r’ Treat) I wasn’t sure what to think, but I was giving Dougherty the benefit of the doubt because “Trick ‘r’ Treat” is one of my favorite horror films of all time.  After watching the film I’m glad I kept an open mind and if you, dear moviegoer, do the same, you’ll find “Krampus” to be a refreshing bit of demented holiday fun. 

“Krampus” deals with the plight of a family who has lost the meaning of Christmas.  Tom and Sarah Engel (Adam Scott and Toni Collette) are hosting a family gathering at their home.  The guests include Sarah’s sister Linda (Alison Tolman) and her brutish husband Howard (an over-the-top David Koechner) and their three brats, including two twin sisters who act more like teenage boys than girls.  Adding to the fun is tart-tongued Aunt Dorothy (the always welcome Conchata Ferrell).  With arguing and a decided lack of holiday spirit running rampant, the evening’s festivities become too much for the Engel’s young son Max (an appealing Emjay Anthony) the only one in the household who still believes in Santa Claus.  When he gets mad, tears up his letter to Santa and tosses it into the windy night, he attracts the attention of Krampus, a being who serves as the dark side of Christmas.  Now the Engels and the rest of the family must fend off Krampus and his villainous (and hungry) minions and attempt to survive the holiday season.

While “Krampus” is being sold as a horror movie, it’s more of a horror-comedy, especially in the film’s first half.  In fact, the introduction of the Engel’s extended family plays more like an extension of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with Koechner playing the role of Cousin Eddie almost to a fault.  The film ditches most of the laughs once Krampus and his buddies show up, but there’s still a twinkle in the metaphorical eye during the elaborate set pieces Dougherty sets up.  (A sequence involving animated gingerbread men, a nail gun, and David Koechner is especially amusing.)

The film is not afraid to go to some dark places, especially when it comes to children in peril.  Krampus doesn’t play favorites when it comes to his victims and he doesn’t screw around when it comes to delivering his particular brand of justice.  Krampus is the bizarro-Santa in that he doesn’t come to give: he comes to take.  An animated sequence involving an earlier attack by Krampus told by Max’s grandmother (an excellent Krista Sadler) does a terrific job of establishing the legend of Krampus and his motivations for his actions.  All of Krampus’ follow the bizarro trend and are terrifying versions of the holiday conventions we all know and love.  One of the more frightening sequences involves a snake-like creature that comes out of a Jack-In-The-Box and proceeds to demonstrate an unhealthy appetite.

The effects work in Krampus is first-rate, with a refreshing emphasis on practical effects over CGI.  Krampus himself is an impressively terrifying creation; a huge creature with curving horns, cloven hooves and an old man’s visage that looks like melting candle wax.  An early scene in which Krampus stalks the Engels older daughter by jumping from rooftop to rooftop is particularly impressive.

The film is not perfect, but most of the flaws are exposed in the first half, when some of the characters come off as too broad to feel much in the way of sympathy for.  Koechner, in particular, seems to be creating a parody of a character instead of a real one.  It dulls the effect of the scares when you don’t really care about the protagonists.  At least Dougherty’s script makes Scott and Collette’s characters more well-rounded then their extended family, and Max is a child character worth rooting for.

“Krampus” fares much better after the title villain shows up.  Dougherty is really good at creating an oppressive atmosphere that totally makes what could have been a silly scenario much more believable.  Dougherty starts off slow, using the oppressive blizzard, lack of power, and ominous-looking snowmen (of all things) to build the tension before Krampus reveals himself to the audience. It’s a technique that pays off well later in the film.

Overall “Krampus” is a strong entry in the comedy-horror genre and if it doesn’t quite reach the levels of “Trick ‘r’ Treat” it’s only because the latter film has set the bar so high.  So if you’re interested in a holiday film that’s a bit off the beaten path then “Krampus” is definitely for you!  If you can’t vibe with a dark, Christmas-themed horror picture then you might want to seek your holiday entertainment elsewhere!  3 ½ Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer!  So Sayeth The Kendog!

“Krampus” is Rated PG-13 for sequences of horror violence/terror, language and some drug material.