Review: ‘A Christmas Horror Story’ is a gift-wrapped Halloween treat (Includes first-hand account)

Since retail stores insist on displaying Halloween and Christmas decorations at the same time, why shouldn’t that crossover apply to other things like movies? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is the chief (and least horrific) example in which the holidays intertwine; but other films include the Silent Night, Deadly Night series, Black Christmas and a killer Santa Clause short in the Tales from the Crypt movie. The latest picture to frighten the cheer from yuletide celebrations is A Christmas Horror Story.

It’s Christmas Eve and “Dangerous” Dan (William Shatner) is playing carols for his listeners from his DJ booth at the radio station, waiting for the weatherman to check in from the food drive at the mall. In the meantime he generously mixes his eggnog as the mood gradually grows dim. One reason for the gloom is the one-year anniversary of the deaths of two students at the local high school. Determined to turn-in a realistic news story, Molly (Zoé De Grand Maison), Ben (Alex Ozerov) and Dylan (Shannon Kook) revisit the crime scene to record a first-hand tour and investigate the murders — except they never found the killer. Caprice (Amy Forsyth) gave them the key to get into the restricted area of the school before leaving to visit her estranged aunt (Corinne Conley) with her family. Their arrival doesn’t exactly illicit a warm welcome and things only get worse after they leave and are hunted by a Christmas legend. Officer Scott (Adrian Holmes) was never the same after working the case at the high school, but he’s trying to make it up to his wife and son this year by taking the family to cut down their own tree. Ignoring “no trespassing” signs, they find the perfect fir but Scott’s family may never be the same after that trip. Meanwhile up at the North Pole, Santa (George Buza) is at war with zombie-elves.

Each story also consists of a big reveal, which is unveiled at different points in the film. However, each is a game changer and generally informs the conclusion of the tale. Even though Santa’s predicament is the last to be solved, it’s also the only one that can be anticipated at the beginning of the movie — if you’re paying close attention and are able to connect the dots. But otherwise viewers can just sit back and enjoy the carnage that gradually unfolds in front of them at the hands of various supernatural creatures (vagueness is to avoid spoilers). Outside of Quebec cinema, Canadians have proven to be adept horror moviemakers and this film is no exception.

The film screened at the 2015 Toronto After Dark Film Festival.

Directors: Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban and Brett Sullivan
Starring: William Shatner, George Buza and Shannon Kook

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘Zoolander 2’ goes retro with mixed results (Includes first-hand account)

    Sometimes a movie’s success is akin to lightening in a bottle. Everything comes together in perfect harmony to create an experience that is fondly remembered by everyone, immortalizing the picture in the minds of its fans. This is a phenomenon not easily repeated, no matter how vehemently they want to recapture the magic of the original. But that doesn’t prevent them from trying. Zoolander 2 is a highly anticipated sequel with exceptionally big shoes to fill.

  • Review: ‘Mile 22’ is a flawed but rewarding tactical operation (Includes first-hand account)

    While popular genres and interests come and go in waves, there appears to be a current focus on elite military personnel. These men and women carryout covert missions, supported by the best technology and often under the agreement that if caught, they do not exist. TV series and films have been tapping into this fount of gritty and riveting stories, both fiction and non-, for a few years now. Mile 22 is the latest, which turns 16 Blocks into a military operation on foreign soil that requires the transporters cover a little more ground.

  • Review: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is the wittiest Marvel movie to date (Includes first-hand account)

    With Thor not being included in Captain America: Civil War, Marvel appeared to take to social media to explain his absence via hilarious short videos about him attempting to assimilate to civilian, human life in Chris Hemsworth‘s native Australia. This was followed by an amusing post-credit sequence in which the God of Thunder has an awkward sit down with Doctor Strange and a bottomless beer stein. While it seemed like the studio was just having some fun with one of its more popular characters, it turns out they were actually laying the groundwork for their latest superhero picture, Thor: Ragnarok, which takes a decidedly lighter approach to the franchise.