My quick rating - 4,9/10. I'll admit, the title sold me right away. With its promise of holiday horror, this flicks aims to blend slasher thrills with a modern social twist, taking us on a blood-soaked sleigh ride into the conservative hometown of trans true-crime podcaster, Lola (Jeremy Moineau). A masked Santa killer pays grisly homage to a town legend, The Toymaker, and Lola’s own connection to these murders puts her in the killer’s sights. Unfortunately, while the setup had potential, the film ultimately delivers a mixed bag. The character of Lola is compelling on paper—a trans woman returning to her judgmental hometown, armed with her resilience and investigative skills—but the execution leaves something to be desired. Flashbacks of her pre-transition struggles are effectively brutal, but the tonal shift post-transition feels jarring, as everyone suddenly treats her like she’s untouchable. This inconsistency undercuts the emotional depth the character could have brought. The plot leans heavily on the classic “podcaster solves the crime” trope, with local police inexplicably granting Lola unfettered access to confidential case details. While this might appeal to podcast enthusiasts who dream of cracking cold cases, it feels far-fetched and undermines the story’s credibility. The mystery starts off decently, weaving together some passable twists, but the finale takes a turn for the absurd, resolving everything in a way that feels more convenient than clever. Performance-wise, Moineau does a respectable job as Lola, adding layers of vulnerability and strength to a script that doesn’t always do her justice. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast feels largely forgettable, serving more as filler than fleshed-out characters. The direction by Alice Maio Mackay is a standout, though. Mackay’s eye for composition and her ability to create striking visuals hint at a promising future in horror. While the kill scenes suffer from budget constraints and overly ambitious attempts at being “artsy” (looking at you, Suspiria), there’s enough flair here to suggest that Mackay could deliver something truly special with a bigger budget or a more fleshed out script. At 69 minutes, themovie is short enough that it doesn’t overstay its welcome. While it stumbles in its storytelling and lacks the resources to fully capitalize on its premise, there’s a scrappy charm to its effort. If you’re in the mood for a quick holiday horror flick with some decent visuals and don’t mind a few narrative missteps, you could do worse.
Comments