Christmas Bloody Christmas (Shudder) Review

4 star snow covered festive bloodbath.

Christmas Bloody Christmas is a 2022 American horror film written and directed by Joe Begos (Bliss, Almost Human), who also enjoys a brief and very messy cameo.

It is a Shudder Original, available on the streaming service from 9th December 2022, just in time for Christmas.

“A dude. A man. Okay, on Christmas Eve you’re going to invite a stranger into your house.”

It’s Christmas Eve and record store owner Tori (Riley Dandy – Interceptor, That’s Amor) is getting ready to face the festive season. She has plans for the evening, she’s got a Tinder date lined up with “Emmet Eyeliner”, but her employee and friend Robbie (Sam Delich – Spiderhead) talks her out of it.

Instead they decide to spend the evening getting wasted together, starting with meeting her friend Lahna (Dora Madison – VFW, Lapsis) and her boyfriend Jay (Jonah Ray – Satanic Hispanics), who work at TW Bonkers, the local toy store. Here, they have a top of the range ex military robotic Santa Claus, although it is due to be recalled following some firmware issues. They have an orgy planned so they leave them to it.

After that they head to the local bar, where Larry (Josh Ethier – Beyond the Gates) keeps the whisky flowing. Following a depressing encounter with the Sheriff (Jeff Daniel Phillips – 3 From Hell) they decide to drive back to Tori’s house for more whisky and some very loud music. Also there are her sister Liddy (Kansas Bowling – Psycho Ape!) and brother-in-law Mike (Graham Skipper – The Leech, Mystery Spot), although they are dead to the world.

Little do they know that their Christmas Eve is about to get a lot more exciting, as the local Robotic Santa has reverted back to military protocols and is embarking on a killing spree. Can they survive the night?

“Not stupid clothes again. Why are you so bloody? Mom? Mom!”

Christmas Bloody Christmas is a true blood soaked festive treat for horror fans. It’s a great idea for a film, an actual Terminator which walks around saying Ho Ho Ho, while hacking people to pieces with a fire axe. Very satisfying. One does have to wonder however, what statement they are making about the U.S. military when the Defence Department default setting is to slaughter innocent civilians without provocation. Interesting.

The neon drenched streets, the snow falling, and the extremely loud heavy metal set the scene beautifully for this Christmas Eve massacre, and it’s very well directed.

There are also lots of excellent acting performances and plenty of good effects and stunts which make this very enjoyable. Well worth a watch.