When people think of Christmas movies, they think of heartwarming family films, not gut-wrenching horror movies. However, recently Christmas horror movies have become a holiday staple for some people.
One such movie is Krampus, from 2015. This film is based on Austro-Hungarian folklore’s evil Santa. He’s essentially a goat-man who takes bad children.
In the movie, Max and his family are planning to celebrate Christmas at their house with the whole extended family. Max is the son of parents Tom and Sarah, played by Adam Scott and Toni Colette respectively.
After the dinner begins, Max’s letter to Santa is read out loud by one of his cousins and his whole family begins to argue, crushing his Christmas spirit. With the Christmas chaos under way, a snowstorm develops. This leaves the family stuck inside, allowing for Krampus to slowly pick them off one by one in both thrilling and funny Christmas-themed ways.
The premise is good, but overall Krampus is mediocre. The only stand out element of this movie is the design of the Christmas-themed demons. A caterpillar/jack-in-a-box creature in particular features truly horrifying and amazing effects.
Another Christmas horror film is Await Further Instructions. It’s only link to the holiday is that it takes place on Christmas. But with amazing special effects and well developed political commentary, Await Further Instructions displays how well horror films can thrive when set on Christmas.
The film follows Nick and his girlfriend, Annji, who travel to Nick’s parents’ house to spend Christmas and introduce Annji to his family. Tensions first begin to boil when Nick’s family begin to spout racist remarks to Annji, who is of Indian descent.
With tensions rising, the house begins to become enveloped in a black substance. The TV begins to give warnings about some mysterious virus and about how everything is contaminated.
The monstrous black substance in the movie works as a perfect antagonist for a family trapped inside. The substance sets everyone against each other while also keeping up the facade that it is actually helpful – making it a truly scary monster.
Finally, there is Better Watch Out, an “at home alone” type Christmas thriller about the dangers of toxic masculinity and the adverse effects of male entitlement.
Better Watch Out follows 17-year-old Ashley, played amazingly by Olivia DeJonge, babysitting 12-year-old Luke while his parents attend a Christmas party. What unfolds is Luke’s staged plan to woo Ashley by fighting off a would-be robber, whom Ashley later discovers to be Luke’s friend Garrett.
Ashley then gets knocked out, only to wake up tied to a chair, where she is forced to fight Luke’s advances and murderous efforts.
