Krampus

Right after watching the trailer, Krampus raised great expectations in me, but we all know that trailers are very much for effect, so you have to go to the cinema to see the film's qualities for yourself. I have to say that I got a very good Christmas movie with a memorable atmosphere, which in the end didn't really live up to the expectations raised by the trailer, but that didn't hurt at all. Krampus is definitely not your typical horror movie with lots of scares, ghosts and blood. It's more of a black comedy of sorts, leaving you feeling that Christmas can be anything but a "holiday of peace and quiet", as all the characters in the film find out the hard way. I was intrigued by the make-up effects and the portrayal of the monsters, including the terrifying creature from hell, and I liked the imaginative insertion of an animated insert that illuminated Krampus' story. As a Germanist, I also cheered with joy at the German (or Austrian, who knows) doll, who, next to the spirited auntie, was my favourite of all the characters. All in all, a solidly made Christmas horror comedy that will stay in my mind for a long time thanks to its strengths and not least thanks to the totally unexpected ending, which left me with a rather unpleasant feeling – what losing faith and hope (here on a fantastical and cruel scale) can actually do. (11/12/2015)

Christmas home invasion creature feature black comedy with an excellent snowy backdrop. Dougherty fuses German folklore and American genre traditions into a sufficiently entertaining mix in which children are devoured and the titular devil doesn't grow tiresome thanks to a late entry. Formal finesse, good actors and unobtrusive film references are sometimes enough to satisfy, especially at Christmas. 70 % (16/12/2022)

The Czech devil has an exceptional position on a global scale. He is more of a confused companion for gamblers, or an executor of justice where secular justice is a mockery of morality. Krampus is a different sort. At first glance, fear emanates from him and he exudes the threat of brutal violence and mystical cruelty. The movie, which entices with the use of the name "Krampus," announces that it will be a form of entertainment for a specifically horror-oriented audience. But actions speak louder than words and this is also reflected in the quite mixed reviews. Let's be honest, how many horror comedies have you seen that weren't crippled in one way or another, or had both legs amputated? No matter what Dougherty does, he is unable to generate scares, at least not in a way that today's hardened fans of horror would fear. It's a bit better when it comes to the humor. Dougherty has learned a lot from Terry Gilliam and his devilish gingerbread cookies are successful, he has a sense of irony and occasionally comes up with a decent joke. He also relies on a likable cast of actors, led by the talented Toni Collette. Unfortunately, he is not creative enough to develop his ideas into a truly functional and visually appealing form. He relies on frantic, chaotic editing, and annoyingly stereotyped characters within the family, and he is not daring enough to turn family values upside down and mock Christmas. When I remember how Ari Aster utilized Toni Collette in Hereditary, I have the feeling that Dougherty is wasting the acting potential of his ensemble, as well as the atmosphere and ideas. The film is unfinished and rarely truly atmospheric. My review ranges between 2 and 3 stars, and considering the weak reviews he received from horror fans, this time I will support Dougherty and give the film a weak three-star rating. Overall impression: 50%. (20/12/2019)

Krampus isn’t what I was dreaming of when the project was announced, but even the way it is, it’s not able to reach to the TOP. Which doesn’t mean that it is a bad movie. This time, Dougherty has done with Christmas the same he did a couple of years ago with Halloween, a nice and atmospheric horror comedy, where the humour, as well as the fear and the tension are effective in each of the sequences. But it’s just not completely outstanding in any way. If it’d stayed only with Krampus and his elves, it would have been better, IMHO. The living gifts are more or less cool, but the bloody living gingerbread men are already too much. And I was also surprised with how fast everything ends. In a only couple of minutes about half the characters are reduced in uninteresting ways, to the point that I felt as if the creators already wanted to get rid of them, but didn’t feel like writing another twenty minutes of script. 70% and I would love to see a gritty German Alpine prequel. (24/12/2015)

The story of the movie "Krampus: Get Lost" is perhaps a bit simple, but it is packed with quite an action-packed spectacle that can entertain you. It's something that won't scare you much, but it can captivate you as great fun. If you want to go to the movies for something that won't bore you, I think this is exactly the film you could watch. Plus, it also has that Christmas family spirit. (07/04/2016)