New on Blu-ray and DVD from Unearthed Films!

CHRISTMAS CRUELTY! (aka O’HELLGE JUL!, 2013)

Directed by Per-Ingvar Tomren, Magne Steinsvoll.
Written by Eline Aasheim, Janne Iren Holseter, Anita Nyhagen.
Starring Eline Aasheim, Per-Ingvar Tomren, Magne Steinsvoll, Raymond Talberg, Nina-Shanett Arntsen, Thomas Utgård, Solveig Sahr Bergheim, Frans Hulsker, Olav Kåre Torjuul, Mats Nerli, Irene Anita Holsether, Torgeir Marvin Utgård, & Tormod Lien as Serial Santa.
Find out more about this film here!!

I found one last Christmas horror film to share this year. And CHRISTMAS CRUELTY is a doozy. While three slackers drink, gab, and party their way through their holiday vacation, a Serial Killer Santa Claus (Tormod Lien) invades houses, binds, beats, rapes, and kills whomever he pleases. These two parties are bound to meet up and it’s going to be a cruel Christmas for everyone involved.

There’s not much by way of story in CHRISTMAS CRUELTY. It is more of a schlocky gore fest style film meant to disgust, nauseate, and offend just about everyone watching. The film begins with our sadistic Santa Claus raping a woman in front of her tied up family. He then sings to himself and makes his merry way over to a set of tools, grabs a motorized saw, and then unleashes its whirling blades on an infant in a crib. Say what you will about how gross this opener is, but CHRISTMAS CRUELTY wastes no time letting you know just what kind of horror movie it is. The gore in this movie is unmatched and if you were titillated and entertained by the over-the-top grue and gop from the TERRIFIER series, CHRISTMAS CRUELTY feels like its long-lost cousin from the icy lands of Norway.

But there’s little else by way of horror going on with CHRISTMAS CRUELTY. The story meanders around with a trio of goofballs who chat and argue and pontificate while getting drunk and high. I’m all for a little gettin’ to know you time with our stars before they face off with the monster of the movie, but time felt like it was crawling while these three occupied the screen. The arguments are ugly, chauvinistic, and most of the time, just plain stupid and so are the times when they are trying to say something poignant. The only thing that kept me invested was that I knew that Santa was on his way and I was looking forward to these guys getting theirs.

I will say that the Norwegian metal music that is peppered through CHRISTMAS CRUELTY was fun. It’s a cool look at sounds from another country and the music is often ironically used as it plays against these scenes of depravity.

Still, the horrifying acts this Santa inflicts on upon his victims goes beyond the realm of simple gore. Much screentime follows this monster’s every despicable movie from one victim to the next. Tormod Lien’s disregard for humanity is unparalleled. Though he is despicable, the actor is all in for this disturbingly graphic role. He even takes the time to put on a condom before raping his chosen victims. So at least he’s being safe. The casual way this Santa moves through the house and takes out the occupants is pretty impressive in some well-choreographed scenes of violence. The gore, of course, is as realistic as it comes. If I didn’t know any better, these were real people being dissected ruthlessly. This tasteless violence is the staple for Unearthed Films, a company dedicated to over the top and gratuitous films. CHRISTMAS CRUELTY is not for mainstream horror heads. It’s for the gorehounds and if that’s your bag, this Santa has a whole hell of a lot of monstrous, blood and guts to share for those who have been naughty this year.

Check out the trailer here!!