Christmas Bloody Christmas (Terminator Santa Murder Film)
Is Joe Begos the future of horror? I’ve had this conversation more than once after seeing the masterful and exhilarating VFW and taking a deeper dive into his work on films like Bliss, I’m truly convinced that Mr. Begos is the guy. Like the masters of yore, he sneaks in some of his own political theories about issues like drugs and the military-industrial complex while never forgetting to the key component of fun. Yes, his movies are a rockin’ good time at the movies with Crackerjack dialogue, relatable characters and tons of the wet red stuff. Thanks to government surplus, highly experimental and potentially dangerous robotic soldiers have been repurposed for use by American toy stores as a cost-effective alternative to hiring a local drunk to play Santa Claus. As two record store clerks experience a meet-cute and develop bonds during yet another wasted Christmas, one particular RoboSanta slips a gear and reverts back to military programming. From this point on, the fun never stops for a second.
Christmas Bloody Christmas is Silent Night, Deadly Night meets The Terminator in the Tinder Generation. This is all high praise because in the manner of those previous classics this movie runs on raw adrenaline. There is not a single wasted scene or pointless exposition to be had here. Shooting on 16mm, Begos exploits the charms of the format to really push those reds and greens; this is a really handsome movie to watch. Credit must also be given to Riley Dandy and Sam Delich for making our protagonists likable, intelligent, caring and genuine above all else. Anyone who’s ever worked retail on Christmas should be able to understand their disposition on the holidays all too well. Watching these two get to know and like each other as people makes what’s coming next a great deal scarier and harder to watch since these guys are good people who are not much unlike ourselves. Yes, you can believe the hype this time. No room for cynicism in this review because Joe Begos is the real deal. See this film immediately even though Christmas is over. Welcome to a new holiday classic.
Written by David, Comptroller of Your Last Scrap of Existence
Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022)
Joe Begos
4.2 / 5
