He Knows You’ve Been Naughty.
“Krampus: The Reckoning” is a cautionary fairy tale of self-discovery
with fatal consequences for the “bad people.” Foster child, Zoe Weaver, is
demoralized, desensitized and abused. Switched from one foster home to another,
she takes on a matter-of-fact persona. Her only possession is her tattered
little Krampus doll, which always gives her a moment of cynical “happiness” as
she removes his miniature shackles.
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| An angry and misunderstood Zoe Weaver. |
During the first 10 minutes of the film, there is a distinct
“Babadook” feel with Grandmother, picture book on lap, heeding a warning of the
Krampus. But this abruptly changes to “Halloween” with a pediatric psych
setting and doctor-patient interaction while the police investigate a series of
horrific incineration deaths. Later we see influences of “The Orphan” with a
seemingly evil child who is so much more than she appears to be, as the
supernatural aspect of the yarn unwinds. An ending that journeys into gray areas
and an unexpected twist, clarify this whole story was simply a walk into the
“Twilight Zone.” The film toys with conventions and expectations. The engaging story
and well-developed Dr. Rachel Stewart character challenge the viewer to
question his or her assumptions and perspective.
Vivid reds and electric yellows dance across the screen like
a neon dream. With Director, Robert Conway’s trademark, high-contrast
“blockbuster effect” used, Big Red surely reaches its full potential. The story
is well-paced and generally plausible, and while sometimes questionable or
fantastic, it is never dull. In fact, this is a supernatural fable, so a
fantasy element is absolutely fitting. With mild nudity and sexual situations,
this visual adventure is not for children. Sound quality is good and sound
effects are consistent, but with whispers and mumbles the viewer will need to
adjust the volume. Music is of holiday theme and is used sporadically where
appropriate. Cat Bernier does a beautiful job with practical effects, and happy
to suffer for his art, Second Assistant Director, Dave Friedman even allowed
himself to be lit on fire to achieve a burning car scene. The use of CG to
emphasize the supernatural aspect of Krampus seemed a bit out-of-place compared
to the exceptional practical effects. Surprisingly, all practical effects and
shooting were wrapped in about a month. Post-production and CG additions took
almost triple that time. With a deadline of November 3, 2015 for streaming
video release and a DVD release date of December 1, 2015 this project is
literally in the can.
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| Director Robert Conway on set. |
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Working on effects behind the scenes.
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This is the fourth film for Director and Writer Robert
Conway, who states collaboration and flexibility are key to the success of his
films. With a trusted core team, Conway
has been able to work efficiently, staying within time-allotment and budget to
reach a common goal.
Rating 3.5/5
For more information on “Krampus: The Reckoning” visit the
Uncork’d website.
You can also view the film beginning November 3rd on Vimeo.