Krampus ***½ (2015, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Emjay Anthony) – Movie Review

The 2015 American Christmas horror comedy film Krampus stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Emjay Anthony, David Koechner, Conchata Ferrell, and Krista Stadler, and is based on the demonic entity Krampus character from Austro-Bavarian folklore that dispenses vengeance and wrath on the naughty.

Director Michael Dougherty said he had ‘always wanted to do a scary Christmas movie’ and the film’s idea took shape after his friends sent him an e-card featuring the Krampus creature which he called ‘just love at first sight’. The creepy Krampus character resembles a horned goat-like beast, with his face concealed behind a bearded mask.

Max Engel (Emjay Anthony), the young son of nice parents Tom and Sarah (Adam Scott, Toni Collette), turns his back on the spirit of Christmas thanks to his family’s squabbling. and unleashes the demon Krampus on his dysfunctional family home.

Dad and gung-ho relative Uncle Howard (David Koechner) try to organise a fight back for survival against the monsters as harmless-looking toys grow teeth and attack.

It is another creepy attic movie. The Engels have hidden presents in the attic that now come to life and try to maim and kill them, while a blizzard rages outside and icicles form on the interior rafters.

Co-writer/director Michael Dougherty’s likeable Gremlins-style seasonal family fantasy horror comedy is funny, scary and well done, with excellent performances and good monsters. Conchata Ferrell and Krista Stadler stand out as nasty Aunt Dorothy and doomy old Omi (‘Granny’).

The film has disturbing imagery but should be suitable for teens of 12+ and it is rated PG-13 in America for sequences of horror violence/terror, language and some drug material. But in the UK it is stuck with an entirely unnecessary official BBFC rating of 15 for ‘strong threat’.

Krampus was released in the US on 4 December 2015 by Universal Pictures in time for the 5 December Krampus Night and grossed more than $61 million on a $15 million budget.

Principal photography took place from March 12 to May 2015.

Creature effects are made by Weta Workshop.

The score is by Douglas Pipes.

Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic character in Alpine folklore who at Christmas scares children who have misbehaved. Krampus and Saint Nicholas [Santa Claus] visit children on the night of 25 December. While Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with oranges, dried fruit, walnuts and chocolate, the naughty ones are punished by Krampus with birch rods.

Krampus is a significant part of Austrian and German folklore. On the evening of 5 December, Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets, and Krampus visits homes and businesses.

The cast are Emjay Anthony as Max Engel, Adam Scott  as Tom Engel, Toni Collette as Sarah Engel,  David Koechner as Howard,  Allison Tolman as Linda, Conchata Ferrell as Aunt Dorothy, Stefania LaVie Owen as Beth Engel, Krista Stadler as Omi Engel, Lolo Owen as Stevie, Queenie Samuel as Jordan, Maverick Flack as Howie Jr, Mark Atkin as Ketkrókur, Sage Hunefeld as Baby Chrissie, Leith Towers as Derek, Curtis Vowell as DHL Man, Luke Hawker as Krampus (in-suit performer), and Brett Beattie as Der Klown.

The voice cast are Gideon Emery as Krampus, Seth Green as Gingerbread Man Lumpy, Breehn Burns as Gingerbread Man Dumpy, Justin Roiland as Gingerbread Man Clumpy, and Ivy George as Perchta the Cherub.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3104

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