Krampus - A Movie Review

Are we expecting somebody else for Christmas? No? There’s a dark figure outside.

Ripped out of Christmas wrapping paper in 2015, Krampus is a Christmas-horror movie about a dark figure stalking a family. While trying to enjoy the holiday season in their family dysfunction, members of the Engel family disappear one by one.

Upon asking for Christmas movie recommendations, the synopsis of Krampus intrigued me. Being the horror fan that I am, I put Krampus on my list. It is a very relatable film for families, especially when gathering during the holidays. In my opinion, I felt that Krampus tried too hard to be a horror film.

Emjay Anthony, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Stefanie LaVie Owen, Krista Stadler, Conchatta Ferrell, Allison Tolman, David Koechner, Maverick Flack, Queenie Samuel, and Lolo Owen did a great job of connecting to their characters.

Whether they were a mother who was so done with everything, the critical aunt, or a son who just wishes to have a good holiday, each character had layers. They stood out, especially Ferrell who did not care what she said in front of the children. I have become a fan of Collette over the last year. She does a great job with her reactions.

I was surprised at the amount of character depth there was. Krampus gave attention to small endearing family moments. The chaotic family dinner scene is the best. At first, I thought it was going to be one of those cliche films where the family does not get along and this evil figure tortures them. It turns out (to some level) that it took a different approach.

The writers did an excellent job with the lead into the horror aspect creating suspense. But then when it shifts into horror, filmmakers went a little overboard. Too much screentime was given to the killer toys. The story becomes so over the top that it’s even expressed in the film.

That’s not to say that the designs for monster creatures aren’t fun. Designs are made entirely from practical effects instead of incorporating out of CGI. The deranged gingerbread cookies were my favorite. The scene where the grandmother explains the backstory of Krampus is a signature scene. Using puppetry made it stand out.

Unfortunately, a terrible snowstorm shuts off the power, forcing everyone to stay indoors. Props go to filmmakers for creating a realistic snowstorm. I honestly felt chilled.

Some parts of the story didn’t make sense with the horror layer. The ending could have been better. Although I do like the idea of a film that leaves you with theories, it could have been a more concise ending.

Michael Dougherty also directed the horror fan favorite Trick ‘r Treat. Elements of that film felt too similar to Krampus. Family drama is the main idea of the film until he decided to add in this horror scenario. The film still manages to be original but it needed a different tone.

That is not saying this Krampus is a bad film. It’s actually very funny. Dougherty scored on the family drama that we can all relate to. And he did a good job mixing comedy and horror.

This holiday season is very different. Many family members cannot get together because of the pandemic. Depending on how some feel about that, family is family. We cannot change that. Remember to give family members who you won’t see this year a call to let them know that you’re thinking of them.

Be aware that Krampus is a horror film. The film contains scenes that are scary for some audiences. Otherwise, it is sure to make you laugh.