Santa's Slay
3/4
Starring: Bill Goldberg, Douglas Smith, Emilie de Ravin, Robert Culp, Dave Thomas, Saul Rubinek
Rated R for Violence, Language and Some Sexuality/Nudity
Read that title carefully before you let little Susie see this movie. It's "Slay," not "Sleigh."
"Santa's Slay" is a guilty pleasure. It's unbelievably cheesy and obviously made on the cheap. It's not particularly smart, either. But, it is funny.
Santa, as we learn, is not a very nice guy. In fact, he's the son of Santa and someone named Erica (who, aside from Mary, is the only woman to have a virgin birth). He's as nasty as they come, but after he lost a curling bet with an angel, he was forced to be nice to kids and spread Christmas cheer for a thousand years. Time's up!
Nicholas Yuleson (Smith) lives with his Grandpa (Culp), who is a little bit odd. Nicholas, who isn't the brightest bulb in the bunch, doesn't believe in Santa Claus and doesn't have much of a taste for Christmas. That's all going to change when he realizes that Santa is indeed real, and wreaking havoc in Hell Township. It's up to him, his would-be girlfriend Mac (de Ravin) and Grandpa to take down Santa.
If lines like "You shot Santa?" or "Run away, Santa's on the loose!" bring a grin to your face, this movie is for you. It's a twisted black comedy that delights in turning a lot of Christmas cliches on their ears. Presents become explosives, candy canes become knives, and the town pastor (Thomas) is a regular at the local jiggle club. My sense of humor runs toward the nasty, so stuff like this is right up my alley.
The film's opening sequence, which features the likes of Fran Drescher, Chris Kattan, Rebecca Gayheart and an uncredited James Caan, is brilliant, and worth renting just to see it (although it can be found on YouTube). It's pure black comedy: unlikable characters acting awfully and getting their just desserts (this is probably the only instance where a dog's violent end didn't offend me).
Unfortunately, the film suffers considerably after that. Acting, writing and cinematography are all poor. The lead actor, Douglas Smith (brother of the more talented Gregory Smith) is stiff as a board. More impressive is Emilie de Ravin, although sometimes the awful dialogue defeats her. Robert Culp is a scene-stealer as the kindly but slightly kooky Grandpa. WWE star Bill Goldberg is perfectly cast; he's menacing, but understands the concept of comic timing. He can toss off one-liners with the best of them.
The film also looks stale. This was made on the cheap, and it looks like it. Writing-wise, the film is also lacking. There are more than a few delicious one-liners (including a twist on a popular Christmas song and a reference to "A Christmas Carol") and writer/director David Steiman knows how to twist common Christmas traditions for comic effect, but there's plenty of bland expository dialogue to go around.
He also can't sustain the comic momentum, and the film's humor runs dry fairly quickly. The first third is hysterical, the second is funny, and the third is mildly amusing. The film's score, which is made up of Christmas tunes set to rock music, is also bland and repetitive.
Still, this has the makings of a cult film. It's going to appeal to a certain group of people who, like myself, appreciate this sort of thing.
Starring: Bill Goldberg, Douglas Smith, Emilie de Ravin, Robert Culp, Dave Thomas, Saul Rubinek
Rated R for Violence, Language and Some Sexuality/Nudity
Read that title carefully before you let little Susie see this movie. It's "Slay," not "Sleigh."
"Santa's Slay" is a guilty pleasure. It's unbelievably cheesy and obviously made on the cheap. It's not particularly smart, either. But, it is funny.
Santa, as we learn, is not a very nice guy. In fact, he's the son of Santa and someone named Erica (who, aside from Mary, is the only woman to have a virgin birth). He's as nasty as they come, but after he lost a curling bet with an angel, he was forced to be nice to kids and spread Christmas cheer for a thousand years. Time's up!
Nicholas Yuleson (Smith) lives with his Grandpa (Culp), who is a little bit odd. Nicholas, who isn't the brightest bulb in the bunch, doesn't believe in Santa Claus and doesn't have much of a taste for Christmas. That's all going to change when he realizes that Santa is indeed real, and wreaking havoc in Hell Township. It's up to him, his would-be girlfriend Mac (de Ravin) and Grandpa to take down Santa.
If lines like "You shot Santa?" or "Run away, Santa's on the loose!" bring a grin to your face, this movie is for you. It's a twisted black comedy that delights in turning a lot of Christmas cliches on their ears. Presents become explosives, candy canes become knives, and the town pastor (Thomas) is a regular at the local jiggle club. My sense of humor runs toward the nasty, so stuff like this is right up my alley.
The film's opening sequence, which features the likes of Fran Drescher, Chris Kattan, Rebecca Gayheart and an uncredited James Caan, is brilliant, and worth renting just to see it (although it can be found on YouTube). It's pure black comedy: unlikable characters acting awfully and getting their just desserts (this is probably the only instance where a dog's violent end didn't offend me).
Unfortunately, the film suffers considerably after that. Acting, writing and cinematography are all poor. The lead actor, Douglas Smith (brother of the more talented Gregory Smith) is stiff as a board. More impressive is Emilie de Ravin, although sometimes the awful dialogue defeats her. Robert Culp is a scene-stealer as the kindly but slightly kooky Grandpa. WWE star Bill Goldberg is perfectly cast; he's menacing, but understands the concept of comic timing. He can toss off one-liners with the best of them.
The film also looks stale. This was made on the cheap, and it looks like it. Writing-wise, the film is also lacking. There are more than a few delicious one-liners (including a twist on a popular Christmas song and a reference to "A Christmas Carol") and writer/director David Steiman knows how to twist common Christmas traditions for comic effect, but there's plenty of bland expository dialogue to go around.
He also can't sustain the comic momentum, and the film's humor runs dry fairly quickly. The first third is hysterical, the second is funny, and the third is mildly amusing. The film's score, which is made up of Christmas tunes set to rock music, is also bland and repetitive.
Still, this has the makings of a cult film. It's going to appeal to a certain group of people who, like myself, appreciate this sort of thing.
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