So bad its good: When a filmmaker creates a film unaware of the fact it is bad film. However this scenario often leads to a film with camp or shlock value, with hilarious results. Well known examples being The Room and Troll 2.
Krampus Unleashed is some of the best fun I have yet had this year. And that is quite strange as Krampus Unleashed is a rip off of Krampus 2015, which is a good horror film. In fact when I was browsing through a totally legal free movie streaming site, I though Krampus 2015 was the one I was clicking on to watch, but to my shock I got Krampus Unleashed.
So it is a cheap knockoff made to cynically make money of the good name of Krampus 2015. But my god, it is such a funny film. Every character is an archetype, you have the moody jackass kid, the jerk brother in law, grandpa and grandma, sasquach hunters and more. However I found the writing funny in a genuine way. The characters bounce off one another quite well with witty dialogue. The Actors are all amateurs of course, and it shows sometimes, however it adds to the campy charm when an actor mumbles a line or delivers it in a unorthodox fashion. In fact it reminded me of Bruce Campbell style acting in The Evil Dead, which is actually a great Horror film because it is so creative, elevating it above this shlock garbage.
The use of practical effects is actually quite impressive, they’re fake as hell of course but the guy in the Krampus suit looks fun. Krampus sneaks up on people and proceeds to punch their head off, sending a rubber dummy head flying, then he will eat their guts or something. He even cuts a guy clean in half once. All of this silly gore is hilarious of course, and is not one bit scary. The setting of christmas in a rural desert village reminds me of Tremors, and it adds to the oddness of this film.
The movie is also shot in a weird way, go pros are used and you get the fish eye effect from that, and there can be a little too much shot reverse shot. But besides those minor roadblocks to enjoying this film, there are too many hilarious moments to not enjoy this film. Especially a moment a third of the way through where a woman apprehends a peeping Tom, you will be crying out, wondering what the hell is going on.
I heartily recommend Krampus Unleashed. Thank you for reading.
Internet potpourri with Peter Allen 
