Michael Briskett (Steven Hubbell) is pressured at work by his boss Andy Robillard (Cole Gleason) during the Christmas season and has to finish a task that's requested right on Christmas day.
He then meets the woman of his dreams Katherine (Whitney Nielsen) whom she invites him over for a family dinner but hed is in for a terrifying surprise as it isn't what he thinks at all.
A campy beginning showing the lead character Michael Briskett is tied up crying for help and then the story taking place 2 days before which seemed necessary for a horror plot that he is fine working at his job and stressed out.
Campy interactions with Michael and his boss being demanding towards him to completing his tasks on Christmas day in which these moments looked very well focused and showing perfect pressuring moments too.
Also some mild funny moments with two women at a bar with one acting cheerful and the other acting bitter as the moments looked impressive and comedic.
Also an interesting situation with a figure in dark clothing dragging someone away which has a great mysterious horror feel to the story.
I really enjoyed a scene with Michael inviting a beautiful woman into his home for eggnog and they have a conversation with him seeming nervous and shy as this has a nice holiday touch to what they were talking about and this woman seeming harmless which of course works great for a beginning of a horror story and what will unravel.
Some funny onliners when she invites him over to her home for Christmas dinner as we all know it isn't what we may all think that it will be after what we read on what the plotline is all about.
Nice settings when Michael enters the family home the next day which seems deceivingly innocent and peaceful along with one of them looking mildly creepy which seemed necessary to what will happen later on. Also a good moment when Michael is standing near a hallway and a door opens from what almost looks like a creepy looking cellar and him entering and acting decent while returning from it as this looked mildly chilling blending with the comedy.
Nice situation when the family gives Michael some eggnog and he drinks it which I had a feeling that it was drugged so the terror will soon unleash later on as well as his boss appearing and he reallises that he's a part of the family.
Nice dark settings when Michael realises that he's tied up in a cellar with other victims freaking out. Some of these moments needed a bit more inspiration though.
However things look cringing big time when both the creepy person and his father seem to have a normal discussion while putting on uniforms and takes one of the victims and is about to butcher his legs with a meatcleaver as this isn't a pretty site to watch at all. Very psychological looking too. Yet nothing overly graphic that you'd imagine. Still great intense horror timing watching peer torture.
Some off moments when Michael's boss has Michael dragged upstairs and tied together with Christmas lights and torturing him by havng electric shock's when turning the lights on to force him to do his assignments. This didn't do much for me as it was trying to show both comedy and horror timing together.
Yet the story looks impressive when Michael is about to be dragged down to the cellar and a police officer comes to the door which makes you think that these maniacs will be busted but we find out that she's in a relationship with the big guy.
Plus there's a good moment down in the cellar when one of the victims bites the big guy's leg and this officer goes nuts kicking her which looked intense but yet off the wall hilarious too.
Then during the dinner table the family brings in the legs for their meal and serves the officer first which there's closely focused moments when she's hesitant and cuts into the meat to eat it which of course is sickening but darkly funny too while we watch all of this as I laughed my ass off.
Great shots around the house with everyone sleeping on Christmas Eve while there's carolers singing at the front of their doorstep. This looked peaceful to watch even if demented stuff is happening in their home.
Perfect emotional moments with Michael sobbing and scared out of his head talking to one of the victims as this looked powerfully dramatic with what they both were discussing and fits into the story well for a horror flick.
Then we have Michael and another victims managing to get themselves free and crawling to try and get out which made me watch carefully wondering if they will get caught especially when they try too get to the front door. For sure left me the chills hoping that they will make it.
Also great moments when they battle against the family as well as being vengeful which the killings looked quite decent by what we see here as well as offering nice slapstick moments along with the comedic writing when this all happens that also works in terrifically.
Bottom line is that this is a well done black comedy horror piece and done on a real decent budget for an indie flick. It certainly beats seeing the junk you watch these days. It's more sickening than scary but the gross out humor is fairly funny making upp for the cringing shock values.
Sme really gross moments on what body parts these family members start to carve as I squirmed a bit. If you like canniballistic horror films with a fairly good sense of humor then this film is for you.
The acting is very well performed in which Steven Hubbell (Michael Briskett) does a fantastic job playing a stressed out bachelor as he offers a good passive and loner type of behavior. Also reacts well to being shy and a bit nervous while getting into a charming conversation. Plus shows off some great energy when the terror strikes him when he freaks out. Plus does a fantastic job with his emotional and scared behavior. Was a natural ham as well when he goes into his vengeful mode in which he packs a great punch while doing so.
Cole Gleason (Andy Robillard) lived to play an obnoxious and arrogant employer as he shows off great adrenaline with his manipulative attitude and played a perfect control freak. He delivered his lines perfectly too and knew on how to act temperamental. Was great acting nearly violent with his behavior as well as acting perfectly demented too.
Whitney Nielsen (Katherine) was funny in her role as a police officer whom is part of the demented team. She really shows it off wonderfully losing her temper and acting violent in a certain scene as she made me laugh by behaving this way. She also does well acrting hesitant in other parts of the story. Also shows it off by acting deceivingly normal with what she is doing during other parts of the story too.
Casey O'Keefe (Cindy Robillard) had everything. The charm, the beautiful looks and her true versatality. Dooes a nice job as someon who seems friendly and innocent by how she comes actorss to one of her fellow actors as well as acting charming and making the other one feel good abut themself. She does it so well it made me think to myself that she can only pull it off throughout the whole story. Yet she shows her demented side incredibly well freeaking out or going in for the kill and acting perfectly psychotic. She for sure came across as no one who'd want to cross by how vicious she can be. She was probably the best in the cast.
DJ Hale (Eddie) was wonderful with his screaming pain when he is nearly tortured to death. Also does a great job with his painful reactions later on after waking up. Plus was great with his vengeful and aggressive energy when plunging in to attack someone. He for sure drew some great attention when doing all of this.
Dakota Shepard (Denise) was another good victim in which she shows off a perfectly negative attitude as well as coming across short towards others. Also does well with her fearful behavior. Also reacts well too her sobbing actions. Was terrific with her energy while getting vengeful.
Ryan Carnahan (Bart Robillard) had the right big guy creepy looks and coming across as someone whom is quiet and laid back. Does a nice job when about to kill someone in the cellar which he had the perfect motives and drive to do so. Seemed to look powerful within whatever he does here.
David Ruprecht (Abe Robillard) was also great as the family man who seems like a deceivingly caring and lighthearted person as he pulls it off very well. Seemed to study this role greatly as I enjoyed on what he did here. Had the perfect middle aged clean cut looks and appeal to this role as well which was a great plus too. For sure was a good character actor.
Gwen Van Dam portrays the family woman as she was good with her annoying and nagging type of attitude. She does this all with great style. Shows off a nice eccentric type of atttiude and does it well as someone who can get on your nerves a bit.
Persons butt is revealed when someone pulls down his pants.
Body pieces are sliced here and there
Persons legs are chopped off
Someone is brutally stabbed to death with scissors and lots of blood
Many vengeful scenes with people bloodily stabbed or bashed
The music that was put together was wonderfully and classically composed in which during the first half of the film had great Christmas tunes really blending in well with what was going on during the situations happening. Also some good dark sounds and other types of creepy noises sounding good for the horrifying and dark incidents. Plus there's strong heroic classical sounds when the vengeful moments occur quarter way through the story offering some excellent timing. The composers were Chris Bills, Mark Leonard and Daniel Lepervanche |
