If you adore Christmas movies, but also love a good scary movie and are fascinated by fairytales and folklore, then like me, you probably put seeing "Krampus" at the top of your to-do list for December. I finally had the pleasure of seeing the movie last week, and here’s a bit about it.
The story starts off with a less than happy note: the camera depicts a hectic Black Friday scene with shopper stampeding, shouting, and even punching others in the face. That scene alone sets the scene for the rest of the movie. The only two people in the family in the movie who seem to have any Christmas spirit are a little boy, Max, and grandma, Omi. However, when the family from hell shows up to ruin Christmas, even poor Max loses his holiday spirit and rips up his letter to Santa and throws it out of his bedroom window. Who smells a mistake? Well, you would be right.
A huge blizzard covers the neighborhood, killing all heat, electricity and phone lines. Max’s sister, Beth, goes out to check on her boyfriend and never comes back. Dad, Tom, and Uncle Howard get attacked while trying to find Beth, and that’s when everyone realizes that something is definitely wrong. Christmas minions begin attacking the family and eventually an ancient, half-goat, half-demon figure, who punishes rather than gives like his counter Santa Claus, comes down the chimney of the house to face grandma Omi, who had a run-in with the demon when she was a little girl. The rest of the family tries to get to safety, but one by one, Krampus and his minions pick them off until just little Max is left. Max begs Krampus not to kill his family and to take him instead -- he pleads that he takes back his wish.
Max wakes up to a jolly Christmas morning where everything is back to normal, until upon unwrapping Christmas he unwraps a bell from the one and only: Krampus. Krampus seems to have been forgiving this year, but not without leaving behind a reminder of what he is capable of. Now, if you pay attention to folklore accuracy and attention to detail, the ending might have bothered you like it did me. If this were real life, Krampus would not have let anyone live and he would have, like the legend says, swatted them with birch and then hauled them down to the underworld. However, this was a Christmas movie, so I guess it needed to end on a happy note.
The film teaches a good lesson about family and Christmas spirit. Don’t let your annoying family ruin your Christmas. I mean honestly, if you hate your family, don’t be with them on Christmas. Don’t let your aunt watch the kids by herself, because she’ll teach them how to make peppermint schnapps. Most importantly, don’t lose your holiday spirit and become a bitter non-believer. For if you do, you might get a visit from Krampus, and he might not be as forgiving this time. Be jolly. As Kevin McCalister would say, “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.”
