Introduction"Krampus" is a 2015 American horror-comedy film directed by Michael Dougherty and written by Dougherty, Todd Casey, and Zach Shields. The film is based upon the eponymous character from Austro-Bavarian folklore, Krampus, who is stated to penalize misbehaving kids during the Christmas season. The movie stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, Conchata Ferrell, Emjay Anthony, Stefania LaVie Owen, and Krista Stadler.
PlotThe story is set in a suburban community, where the dysfunctional Engel household is preparing for Christmas. Max Engel (Emjay Anthony) is a young kid who still believes in Santa Claus and the magic of the holiday season. Nevertheless, his faith wavers after his obnoxious relatives arrive for the vacations, including his gun-toting uncle, Howard (David Koechner), and his annoying cousins, who tease Max mercilessly for his belief in Santa Claus.
In a fit of aggravation, Max composes a letter to Santa, longing for his household to be better. However, after more dispute with his relatives, Max loses his faith in the holiday and wreck his letter, throwing the pieces out into the wind. Regrettably, this action unintentionally summons Krampus, the ancient demonic spirit of Christmas who penalizes those who have actually lost their Christmas spirit.
Krampus ArrivesAs a snowstorm engulfs the town, the lights head out, leaving the household in darkness. Quickly, Max's sis, Beth (Stefania LaVie Owen), goes out to check on her partner, just to discover the town eerily deserted and Krampus himself stalking her. Beth attempts to hide but ends up being taken by Krampus' minions, including ominous Christmas toys and demonic elves.
The family, recognizing that something is wrong, sets aside their differences and interacts to look for Beth. They manage to fend off the Christmas-themed scaries and discover that their senior German-speaking grandmother, Omi (Krista Stadler), knows the reality about Krampus. She reveals that she had once lost her Christmas spirit throughout her impoverished childhood in post-war Europe, which caused Krampus taking her entire family, leaving her as the sole survivor with a bell etched with Krampus' name as a tip of her error.
Fight for SurvivalWith this knowledge, the family prepares to protect themselves from Krampus and his minions. Howard sacrifices himself to conserve his household, and Max faces Krampus alone in an effort to save his sis.
Eventually, the household is assaulted and taken one by one, leaving Max as the last one standing. Dealing With Krampus, Max pleads for his family's lives and provides himself as a sacrifice, revealing that he has actually restored his faith in the Christmas spirit. Moved by Max's display screen of altruism, Krampus wipes away a tear and drops Max into an intense pit, relatively declaring his life.
ConclusionNevertheless, Max awakens the next early morning to find himself back in his bed, with Christmas morning in complete swing. He discovers that his family lives and well, their memories of the scary they experienced seemingly eliminated. It appears that Krampus has actually given Max and his family a 2nd chance to cherish the vacation spirit.
As the family starts to open their presents, Max unwraps a gift and finds Krampus' bell inside, a pointer of the events they withstood. The scene then shifts to a snow world including the Engel household's home, which is among the many snow worlds in Krampus' burrow, suggesting that they will be permanently watched.
"Krampus" combines components of scary, comedy, and a cautionary tale about the importance of maintaining one's faith in the holiday spirit. The film got combined evaluations from critics, but it has gotten a cult following and is considered an unique spin on the traditional Christmas-themed films.
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