ORIGINAL TITLEKrampus
GENREHorror · Comedy · Holiday
ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
98 min
FAMOUS QUOTE
“He is the shadow of Saint Nicholas.”
Vibe
folkloricmonstroussnowboundfamily-chaosdarkly-funnycreature-featurewinterpunitivegothicfestive-horror
A boy loses faith after a disastrous family Christmas and summons Krampus, whose monstrous helpers turn toys, snow and decorations into a siege of the household. Family dysfunction plus alpine anti-santa folklore; christmas goodwill is not background but the moral condition whose collapse triggers the horror.
MOVIE NIGHT RANK
#55 of 100
Watch for
- Watch how familiar Christmas objects are converted into threats—gingerbread figures, toys, decorations and wrapped gifts retain their cheerful design while their behavior turns hostile.
- Practical creature work and Weta-built physical effects give the monsters weight inside the family spaces; note when the film switches to digital enhancement rather than replacing the tactile base.
- The stop-motion interlude deliberately shifts texture and storytelling mode, turning family history into a dark storybook within the live-action film.
- Snow and blocked visibility progressively erase the ordinary suburb, so the family’s familiar home becomes isolated from any reassuring outside world.
Production notes
Universal lists Dougherty as director, 98 minutes, and an ensemble including Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman and Emjay Anthony.
Trivia
- Dougherty directed
- Universal lists 98 minutes
- draws on Alpine Krampus folklore
- Toni Collette and Adam Scott lead the adults
- Universal classifies it as horror/comedy/holiday
Legacy
one of the most durable modern Christmas-horror films; helped push Krampus imagery further into mainstream holiday pop culture.