Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Krampus’

Written by Scott Edwards 

Sometimes you need a little something to get you into the holiday spirit, and I for one believe in horror movies for the holidays, mainly because the holidays are scary. Having worked retail for many years of my life, I have seen the worst in people and I only hope that they leave their fury in the stores that they ravage rather than take it home to their families. Seeing the worst of people really puts me out of the holiday mood, but I have been able to keep a smile on my face when it comes to visiting with my loved ones, mostly because it is one of the few times, I get to see them. It has never been lost on me that for some holidays, presents are required and while getting a little something special is nice, it should really be about friends and family and nothing else.

Christmas is near and young Max has unleashed yet another fit, but this time it is for something that he believes in, Santa Claus. Getting into a fight during his school play, his parents Tom and Sarah are not too happy with their son for ruining a great event, but Max’s reasoning seems sound enough. Wanting to believe in the jolly St. Nick, Max can always find a safe place to have a conversation with his grandma Omi who will not allow him to have his spirits broken, especially around the holidays. Not knowing what to ask Santa for this year, Max is forced to dig deep into his soul and find the things that would truly make him happy and this year, it is much more than toys as the pressure of life is getting everyone in his family down.

Stressed over the season, Sarah has the house set up to receive her sister Linda and her family, but nothing ever goes the way that it is planned. When Linda brings in all of her kids and manages to forget her newest baby in the car, Sarah fears for her holiday. But the gift of Aunt Dorothy coming into her house seals it once and for all; this will not be a Christmas she will want to remember. With some spirits running high, the pressure of making things work out has fallen on Sarah’s shoulders and she will not have anyone’s nonsense get in her way any longer. While finishing their meal at the table, sisters Jordan and Stevie start to antagonize young Max and decide to read his letter to Santa for the entire family to hear. Speaking the truth and wishing for everyone else to be brought back to a simpler time when they liked each other, Max is ashamed and gives up on his wish by tearing up the letter and throwing it into the winter sky.

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​Waking up to a winter blizzard and no power in the house, the family's problems start to escalate a bit, but it is nothing that they cannot handle. But when cabin fever starts to set in and young Beth does not hear from her boyfriend after several texts, she wants to go check up on him. With her parent's blessing, Beth starts down the road and sees that the storm is much worse than anyone could have imagined, with houses looking like they have fallen under the winter spell for ages, not one night. Getting to her boyfriend’s house, Beth sees a figure standing on the roof of a neighbor’s house but does not fear it until she sees the sinister actions it is about to take. Running for her life, she hides under a truck from the hooded beast, but no place is safe in this winter town as she is soon to find out since there is no escape from Krampus.

As night begins to fall and with Beth still out in the cold, Tom and Howard take to the snow packed streets to find the young girl. With no luck locating her at her boyfriend’s house, the two hear screaming outside, but when they try to chase the sound, they find that something is chasing them. Being able to escape with their lives, the two make it back home and try to tell their wives what happened. All the while the kids are under the supervision of Aunt Dorothy who is more intent on drinking than keeping an eye on them, but Grandma Omi knows exactly what is happening to them. Telling her extended family a tale from her youth and exposing the bell that Krampus left with her when her family was taken, Omi knows that they are all doomed since they have been marked. Not wanting to believe what she is saying, yet finding themselves forced to, the family is in for the ride of a life time...one that nobody has ever survived before.

If you're looking for a good Christmas horror movie to get you into the spirit of things, well, this is the one. Showing how people act and feel over the holidays, this movie grabbed me right away and I could not turn away from the screen. It’s like when you are watching people fight over a DVD player on Black Friday and you wonder what they act like when they go home, they probably spike it like a football then blame the store for it being broken. The hatred for the season is shown and it releases the Krampus who will be happy to take anything away from anybody, including lives. With plenty of comedy, there are also plenty of scares as well when you see some of your favorite holiday characters come to life in the worst ways imaginable. I was never a fan of gingerbread men and after watching this, I don’t think I will ever want to eat them again, no matter how delicious people say they are. They are deadly. Stay Scared.

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