We saw this as our local theaters "mystery movie" where we get to watch a movie before it comes out for a discount, without knowing what movie we're going to see. It started out as a promising comedy/slasher spin on "It's a Wonderful Life", but as the movie went on it made less and less sense and went from slapstick funny to just dumb. Instead of just an alternative spin on the main characters life, the second half tried to incorporate supernatural elements to explain the ridiculous plot twists but they just didn't work and fell flat. Even at $5 watching this movie just wasn't worth it. I can watch better movies on streaming services at home.
87 Reviews
Equally good and bad in most respects
nicolasroop20 November 2023
It's A Wonderful Knife has such a ring to it, I just had to see it. Now was it a good or bad film, I'm still not completely sure on either end of that spectrum.
On one hand, we have a horror great, Katharine Isabelle, and a handful of cast members that try their hardest to convey their characters in a way that feels festive and lighthearted. On the other hand, we have some extremely cheesy writing and a tone flip flops around like a fish gasping for air.
Some of the films choices made zero real world sense and it felt like those choices were just there to propel the film forward, and propel forward it did. The runtime is short and brisk, at just under 90 mins, which did not give the film room to focus on any particular thing except poor Winnie and her mission. There were a few things I wish they had spent more time on and some things I wished were missing from the film entirely.
Overall, you could do better and you could do worse. Although there was some pretty shotty directing and writing, the film was still entertaining and short enough to get through without too much strain on the audience. I will say, it was not necessary to see in theaters. I may have had more fun with this film watching it on TV as opposed to the big theatrical experience.
2.5 Christmas' out of 5.
On one hand, we have a horror great, Katharine Isabelle, and a handful of cast members that try their hardest to convey their characters in a way that feels festive and lighthearted. On the other hand, we have some extremely cheesy writing and a tone flip flops around like a fish gasping for air.
Some of the films choices made zero real world sense and it felt like those choices were just there to propel the film forward, and propel forward it did. The runtime is short and brisk, at just under 90 mins, which did not give the film room to focus on any particular thing except poor Winnie and her mission. There were a few things I wish they had spent more time on and some things I wished were missing from the film entirely.
Overall, you could do better and you could do worse. Although there was some pretty shotty directing and writing, the film was still entertaining and short enough to get through without too much strain on the audience. I will say, it was not necessary to see in theaters. I may have had more fun with this film watching it on TV as opposed to the big theatrical experience.
2.5 Christmas' out of 5.
The first one of these types of films to get it badly wrong
jtindahouse1 December 2023
I've been really enjoying this horror trend lately of a whodunit-slasher with a creative twist. Every one of them I've seen so far has been really enjoyable. So I had high hopes for 'It's a Wonderful Knife'. Sadly this was the first one to get it wrong in my opinion.
I had hoped for a really clever story where the search for the identity of the killer would coincide with the main character doing her alternative universe thing. This was not really the case. It's a very mucky story and it's often unclear what exactly is happening and what character's motives are. It was not the story I wanted to see.
The other big problem was that the characters were not likeable enough. All the other films like this have had really likeable characters, particularly in the lead role, and it is easy to get behind them and follow their journey. That was not the case here.
The film goes for some laughs, but is rarely funny. The killer is kind of menacing, but the characters are so flat and unfleshed out that it sucks a lot of the tension out of the kills. So the film is also rarely scary. None of the characters ever seem to have a proper emotional reaction to things that happen either. All in all the film was a disappointment. 4/10.
I had hoped for a really clever story where the search for the identity of the killer would coincide with the main character doing her alternative universe thing. This was not really the case. It's a very mucky story and it's often unclear what exactly is happening and what character's motives are. It was not the story I wanted to see.
The other big problem was that the characters were not likeable enough. All the other films like this have had really likeable characters, particularly in the lead role, and it is easy to get behind them and follow their journey. That was not the case here.
The film goes for some laughs, but is rarely funny. The killer is kind of menacing, but the characters are so flat and unfleshed out that it sucks a lot of the tension out of the kills. So the film is also rarely scary. None of the characters ever seem to have a proper emotional reaction to things that happen either. All in all the film was a disappointment. 4/10.
Interesting idea but terrible execution. A boring mess.
banzoozalreviews1 December 2023
"It's a Wonderful Knife" is one of the worst movies I have watched this year. I love slashers-I really love slashers, but this didn't do anything for me. It neither worked as a corny Christmas movie nor an entertaining thriller. It's badly acted as well, which may be on purpose, though. The storyline is intriguing, and it's an interesting hybrid slasher/cheesy Christmas movie idea-wise, but execution is downright terrible. It felt like they were making things up as they went along, and nothing at all connected to convert into a semblance of a cohesive movie. It was just a mess, and not an entertaining one at that.
Not bad
zggjhmpbrw6 December 2023
I don't normally do reviews but this one had so many bad reviews I felt I should add one on what I think.
. I liked it. I thought it was cute. It had a rather uplifting story about how anyone can make a difference and how important family can be.
It wasn't really a horror movie, it was more about how helping one person can make a difference in their life.
The main character was very likable and the bad guy was somebody you couldn't wait to see killed.
The characters may be may have been over the top, but it made the story interesting watching.
I think it's a good movie for somebody who just wants to watch a Christmas story with a little bit of horror.
. I liked it. I thought it was cute. It had a rather uplifting story about how anyone can make a difference and how important family can be.
It wasn't really a horror movie, it was more about how helping one person can make a difference in their life.
The main character was very likable and the bad guy was somebody you couldn't wait to see killed.
The characters may be may have been over the top, but it made the story interesting watching.
I think it's a good movie for somebody who just wants to watch a Christmas story with a little bit of horror.
If you like the style, then you'll like the movie
movies_are_life_10 November 2023
It's a Wonderful Knife has a style that is not often seen, possibly a style of its own. It will turn some away, but if you go along with it, then you'll find a lot to like, despite oddball scripting.
If questions like "why are these people making out at family Christmas" or "why are so many people calm about dozens of murders happening in a tiny town" or "shouldn't this person do that instead of this" stop you from having the fun the movie wants you to have, then move on. True, the movie could be 30 minutes longer. It could've attempted to add scenes to explain and answer some of these questions. This could've made it better or even worse. The film is more concerned with our lead character surviving a killer in this alternate timeline that she is experiencing. With her POV, she doesn't get to answer these questions that the audience will ask. She's asking them too. The only question she needs to answer is how to get back to her normal life.
Despite the script not being perfect, it could've been better or worse, but its intentions don't feel like it wants to be anything more than what it is. Because it feels like it's the product that the filmmakers intended. The thing that holds the movie together the best is the acting, with the highlights being Justin Long and Jane Widdop, among others. By it's nature, the movie isn't "great", but it fits into the mold of an easy watch that will be on a fairly steady rotation on Christmas.
If questions like "why are these people making out at family Christmas" or "why are so many people calm about dozens of murders happening in a tiny town" or "shouldn't this person do that instead of this" stop you from having the fun the movie wants you to have, then move on. True, the movie could be 30 minutes longer. It could've attempted to add scenes to explain and answer some of these questions. This could've made it better or even worse. The film is more concerned with our lead character surviving a killer in this alternate timeline that she is experiencing. With her POV, she doesn't get to answer these questions that the audience will ask. She's asking them too. The only question she needs to answer is how to get back to her normal life.
Despite the script not being perfect, it could've been better or worse, but its intentions don't feel like it wants to be anything more than what it is. Because it feels like it's the product that the filmmakers intended. The thing that holds the movie together the best is the acting, with the highlights being Justin Long and Jane Widdop, among others. By it's nature, the movie isn't "great", but it fits into the mold of an easy watch that will be on a fairly steady rotation on Christmas.
we wish you a horrific Christmas
lee_eisenberg13 November 2023
To the pantheon of unusual Christmas movies (Gremlins, The Ref, Krampus, Violent Night) we can now add Tyler MacIntyre's "It's a Wonderful Knife". As the title implies, the movie is a spin on "It's a Wonderful Life". In this case, a girl feels unwanted and wishes herself out of existence, only to see the horrors that result. There's some gore, but the movie focuses mainly on this girl and how she discovers her importance to the town.
It's not any kind of great movie, but it makes no pretense about what it is. With some of the mushy holiday movies that get released - i.e., a dad ignores his family but ends up bonding with them over Christmas - it's fun to see these twisted ones. You'll enjoy it as long as you accept the completely improbable premise.
Watch what they do with the closing credits.
It's not any kind of great movie, but it makes no pretense about what it is. With some of the mushy holiday movies that get released - i.e., a dad ignores his family but ends up bonding with them over Christmas - it's fun to see these twisted ones. You'll enjoy it as long as you accept the completely improbable premise.
Watch what they do with the closing credits.
Just another bad Christmas horror
anthonyahardy10 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's a wonderful knife takes terrible gen-z comedy and makes it worse, utilizing it so much that it hurts. The kill scenes in this film were awful and corny. This story is as basic as it can be, with the wishing she was never born, which by the way, she never says she wishes, she just makes a statement saying people would be better off without her. There are so many plot holes in this film it hurts, so much in this film makes no sense, I can't even understand where they were going with it. I promise you this movie is not even worth watching. It makes no sense, it's too corny, the forced gen-z stuff is awful.
It truly is a wonderful knife
jackp-0684327 October 2023
I had been hoping to see this movie for a very long time and I was so glad I did. This movie like Totally Killer and Happy Death Day does what it sets out to do. Taking a classic family movie and adding a great killer twist to it. The premise is something I would have never thought of, but wow did it hook me. The script is smart and kills are pretty good but do at times look a little fake. Justin Long and Jane Widdop are great in their roles and the message of the film never loses it strength. Overall this movie is a great time and for fans of Scream and Hallmark movies this is truly a classic to remember.
Low quality Christmas slasher.
SlashedProductions10 November 2023
Not very well written, or well thought out. It seemed like they came up with a cool title and idea, then rushed it into production. The dialogue sounds like it came from a first draft and was very hard to take seriously.
The slasher element isn't very interesting because you know who it is from the trailer/opening scene. The jokes aren't all that funny either. Which puts this movie in a very grey in-between of being oddly watchable, yet unbearable all at the same time.
Felt like a straight to streaming movie yet I saw it in a theater so props to the studio for that I suppose. Haven't been a fan of these types of slashers though with Totally Killer and the like.
The slasher element isn't very interesting because you know who it is from the trailer/opening scene. The jokes aren't all that funny either. Which puts this movie in a very grey in-between of being oddly watchable, yet unbearable all at the same time.
Felt like a straight to streaming movie yet I saw it in a theater so props to the studio for that I suppose. Haven't been a fan of these types of slashers though with Totally Killer and the like.
surprising how bad this was
MikesIDhasbeentaken2 December 2023
It was a slasher Christmas movie that was quite well shot and put together with a half decent idea,
so kudos for everyone else involved with it to make it so awful,
the script was just so terrible it was just awkward to watch, the story went nowhere, I genuinely can't believe this was made how it was,
nothing makes sense, like nothing at all, the writers didn't even attempt to make a coherent story,
it was just painful to watch the actors go through the awful script
I didn't think i could hate a movie that was essentially a christmas slasher movie so much, i don't mind cheesy, i don't mind low budget, i don't mind ridiculousness, but this is none of that, this is just bad.
so kudos for everyone else involved with it to make it so awful,
the script was just so terrible it was just awkward to watch, the story went nowhere, I genuinely can't believe this was made how it was,
nothing makes sense, like nothing at all, the writers didn't even attempt to make a coherent story,
it was just painful to watch the actors go through the awful script
I didn't think i could hate a movie that was essentially a christmas slasher movie so much, i don't mind cheesy, i don't mind low budget, i don't mind ridiculousness, but this is none of that, this is just bad.
I don't get the hate...
thebradleymitchell9 December 2023
I really enjoyed the movie. I thought Justin Long was great and the whole concept was pretty cool. Almost like a Freaky Friday or Totally Killer. The cast did decent for what they were working with. The kills weren't original, but the gore and effects were pretty sweet. I'm a huge fan of both Joel McHale and Justin Long. Joel from "The Soup" days, and Justin from Jeepers Creepers and, most recently, Barbarian. I love how versatile Justin Long is. He can play Jess' boyfriend in New Girl and be the biggest dork, then play an evil Mayor in Its a Wonderful Knife and absolutely kill it! If you like cheesy slashers with gore and fun kills, you'll enjoy this.
Decent homage doesn't make good film.
jmbovan-47-1601733 December 2023
It's a Wonderful Knife hits too hard on the story line of the movies it is copying. "It's a Wonderful Life meets Scream" is an understatement of a tag line. It is the merged copy of these two films blended together with the appropriate amount of current diversity elements.
Everyone is happy except for the characteristic parody of the evil town mayor. What has happened to Justin Long that he now only seems to play these oddball quirky characters that are either upfront selfish or accidently selfish? Whichever reason, he only annoys in this film doing some mid-Atlantic parody of a shyster mayor.
Overall the kills are uninspired, the cliches heavy, and every trope of these two films are hit heavily in every chance it is possible.
Tired lame filmmaking and plotting galore. Sigh. Only mild in its fun leaving the overall product uninspired and tired from the sense of having to check off as many boxes in the woke cultural identities we have now. I wanted a slasher film that had some black humor. Instead, I got a rainbow and wasted time.
Everyone is happy except for the characteristic parody of the evil town mayor. What has happened to Justin Long that he now only seems to play these oddball quirky characters that are either upfront selfish or accidently selfish? Whichever reason, he only annoys in this film doing some mid-Atlantic parody of a shyster mayor.
Overall the kills are uninspired, the cliches heavy, and every trope of these two films are hit heavily in every chance it is possible.
Tired lame filmmaking and plotting galore. Sigh. Only mild in its fun leaving the overall product uninspired and tired from the sense of having to check off as many boxes in the woke cultural identities we have now. I wanted a slasher film that had some black humor. Instead, I got a rainbow and wasted time.
Pretty good slasher for what it is! I recently had this review up was deleted so I edited a little out.
UniqueParticle13 November 2023
A film that made me glad I have Regal Unlimited, easy to hate and a nice spin on It's a Wonderful Life (1955) crazy to think that's nearly 70 years old. Probably the strangest role for Justin Long in that he changed his voice a bit which sounds so weird especially when he uses his regular voice, and besides his role in Jeepers Creepers, where his outcome is extremely morbid, you'd want him to die in It's a Wonderful Knife. The main girl is solid I enjoyed her character. The acting is the biggest flaw otherwise I liked the movie a fair amount and has some stylish kills; not as bad as The Mean Green that came out a year ago!
0 out of 10, actually
Floki_Thorfinn11 December 2023
I wish this movie was erased from my memory...
A dull "All Inclusive" (if you know what I mean) wanna be slasher-horror-comedy, which isn't gory, scary or comic, so that left us with a lame script that stole the premise from a Christmas classic and turned it into a boring, forgettable and horrid Halloween/Christmas crossover.
Also if you have a brain, you know exactly what would happen as the movie goes by, which is even worst in horror movies because it blows off all the emotion.
Also, the amount of LGBT characters is over the top, I mean, we get it, it's a thing this years of inclusion but, you know, chill out a bit...
Anyway, don't waste your time on this, mark my words: UNGORY, UNSCARY AND UNFUNNY.
A dull "All Inclusive" (if you know what I mean) wanna be slasher-horror-comedy, which isn't gory, scary or comic, so that left us with a lame script that stole the premise from a Christmas classic and turned it into a boring, forgettable and horrid Halloween/Christmas crossover.
Also if you have a brain, you know exactly what would happen as the movie goes by, which is even worst in horror movies because it blows off all the emotion.
Also, the amount of LGBT characters is over the top, I mean, we get it, it's a thing this years of inclusion but, you know, chill out a bit...
Anyway, don't waste your time on this, mark my words: UNGORY, UNSCARY AND UNFUNNY.
I thought it was fun
brenthood00-951-4752552 January 2024
If you like Christmas horror films, this is worth watching at least once.
I don't think this is as bad as everyone else on here is making it out to be, but I'll admit, it could have been so much better.
John McHale and Justin Long were great to see. I'm surprised they agreed to do this movie, but if I'm being honest, it's probably why I decided to watch it.
While I appreciate horror films with humor, I feel like this movie was fighting itself on whether it's supposed to be horror or horror/comedy, which I'm sure is why it's getting hate.
If you're looking for a holiday movie, or just something new to watch, you should give it a shot.
I don't think this is as bad as everyone else on here is making it out to be, but I'll admit, it could have been so much better.
John McHale and Justin Long were great to see. I'm surprised they agreed to do this movie, but if I'm being honest, it's probably why I decided to watch it.
While I appreciate horror films with humor, I feel like this movie was fighting itself on whether it's supposed to be horror or horror/comedy, which I'm sure is why it's getting hate.
If you're looking for a holiday movie, or just something new to watch, you should give it a shot.
An instant Christmas Classic.
GregTheStopSign9516 December 2023
Most of the negative reviews seem to be from clowns who seem to be unable to handle even the SMALLEST queer content. We get it, knuckle-draggers, you're fragile. Now rack off.
As for this movie, it's far better than it has any right to be, really, even with the cast it has. It's a low-budget-feeling horror homage to the Jimmy Stewart classic about the impact one life can have (which you'd know if you read the title, duh) with Joel McHale, Katherine Isabelle, and William B Davis in an all-too-brief cameo of sorts...then there's Justin Long. Good old reliable Justin Long. The man from Tusk, Barbarian, Zack & Miri, and Galaxy Quest. Justin "I dare you to put me in a box" Long. I would GLADLY watch an entire movie of Justin Long as Henry Waters. The man is an ICON! And he's deliciously hammy here. He has more ham than Brick Top from Snatch can shake a dead body at, and it's GLORIOUS.
Summary: Ignore the anti "woke" haters.
As for this movie, it's far better than it has any right to be, really, even with the cast it has. It's a low-budget-feeling horror homage to the Jimmy Stewart classic about the impact one life can have (which you'd know if you read the title, duh) with Joel McHale, Katherine Isabelle, and William B Davis in an all-too-brief cameo of sorts...then there's Justin Long. Good old reliable Justin Long. The man from Tusk, Barbarian, Zack & Miri, and Galaxy Quest. Justin "I dare you to put me in a box" Long. I would GLADLY watch an entire movie of Justin Long as Henry Waters. The man is an ICON! And he's deliciously hammy here. He has more ham than Brick Top from Snatch can shake a dead body at, and it's GLORIOUS.
Summary: Ignore the anti "woke" haters.
Stop making movies like this!
Leon-MY14 January 2024
I have always been surprised not only by who gives a lot of money to create such movies. I was surprised by the number of people who agreed to participate in the making this garbage: from actors to directors. Don't you understand that the script and the dialogues are complete... trash? Who, for what and why decides to do THIS? Money? OK. But why don't they at least FIRE the screenwriters of this? Every 10 seconds of the movie is a game of "find the next stupid thing." What stupid people are they making this movie for? And it's cost a lot of money! Just a nightmare... Stop makin movies like this, people!! ! Please!! :)
Viciously Naughty, Cheesily Nice
JoshuaMercott3 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
As slasher movies go, this one has successfully added another memorable murderer to the mix. "It's a Wonderful Knife" featured a distinctly Christmas-themed - and ironically so - story in which to place a weird killer.
The slasher wearing white seemed to evoke Xmas-snow or a biblical angel. Most probably that last, because of the winged hilt on the killer's knife, and his costume which seemed to be a carbon-copy of the angel ornament atop the town's Christmas tree.
There was much to appreciate about the slasher's overall design - costume, props, movements, et al. The murderer had a 'wonderful' screen presence that I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did. But, except for a few action-burst sequences, they barely showed him on screen.
This white-robed character felt like an intentional redesign based on similar movie characters from the past, like the one from the "Scream" franchise. But that only made this killer even more memorable, not to forget some great physical acting. The man behind the hood and reflective faceplate certainly deserves appreciation for making this overly familiar character 'type' feel thrilling and fun.
A great cast of characters further enriched the story and gave it some corny but nice 90s vibes. Special shout-out to Justin Long as Mayor Henry Waters. He has been captivating in several projects lately, and he didn't disappoint in this one either.
The idea of pursuing greedy capitalism without pausing to appreciate history or cultural sentiments was a minor plot highlight. It was a tad Scrooge-y but the delivery was spot on. It also lent the slasher - and here's the curious bit - a murderous motive to actually make it possible for Angel Falls to become a commercial leisure and entertainment destination, as opposed to preventing something like this from going forward.
The Evans family had a legacy property that was standing in the way of Henry Waters' plans for the town. These scenes were interesting, because they captured an old-school Christmas vibe in indirect ways.
And when that alternate-timeline plot twist came along - after Winnie Carruthers (Jane Widdop) wished under the Aurora to become non-existent - it took me by complete and utter surprise. I did not at all guess the story would go in that direction. "It's a Wonderful Knife" certainly scored big on that count.
The movie became leagues more suspenseful and thrilling after that magical faux-pas and began to pace toward the finish line, delivering little vicious presents along the way.
Despite its plot being moderately cheesy and somewhat corny, both Halloween and Christmas confluenced in this movie, and that is not easy to accomplish.
Henry Waters' ability to mesmerize an entire town deserved, in my opinion, extended focus. I also wish they showed more killer action and explored the Aurora magic lore, both of which would've added more depth to this story.
A little Dickensian style Christmas magic and more than one Scrooge 'type' made this plot feel like a strangely fascinating rip-off of some of the Xmas movies that have come and gone.
For some odd reason, "It's a Wonderful Knife" was a cliché and yet also a gift that kept giving. Suffice to say, it was the most surprising feel-good movie of the year.
The slasher wearing white seemed to evoke Xmas-snow or a biblical angel. Most probably that last, because of the winged hilt on the killer's knife, and his costume which seemed to be a carbon-copy of the angel ornament atop the town's Christmas tree.
There was much to appreciate about the slasher's overall design - costume, props, movements, et al. The murderer had a 'wonderful' screen presence that I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did. But, except for a few action-burst sequences, they barely showed him on screen.
This white-robed character felt like an intentional redesign based on similar movie characters from the past, like the one from the "Scream" franchise. But that only made this killer even more memorable, not to forget some great physical acting. The man behind the hood and reflective faceplate certainly deserves appreciation for making this overly familiar character 'type' feel thrilling and fun.
A great cast of characters further enriched the story and gave it some corny but nice 90s vibes. Special shout-out to Justin Long as Mayor Henry Waters. He has been captivating in several projects lately, and he didn't disappoint in this one either.
The idea of pursuing greedy capitalism without pausing to appreciate history or cultural sentiments was a minor plot highlight. It was a tad Scrooge-y but the delivery was spot on. It also lent the slasher - and here's the curious bit - a murderous motive to actually make it possible for Angel Falls to become a commercial leisure and entertainment destination, as opposed to preventing something like this from going forward.
The Evans family had a legacy property that was standing in the way of Henry Waters' plans for the town. These scenes were interesting, because they captured an old-school Christmas vibe in indirect ways.
And when that alternate-timeline plot twist came along - after Winnie Carruthers (Jane Widdop) wished under the Aurora to become non-existent - it took me by complete and utter surprise. I did not at all guess the story would go in that direction. "It's a Wonderful Knife" certainly scored big on that count.
The movie became leagues more suspenseful and thrilling after that magical faux-pas and began to pace toward the finish line, delivering little vicious presents along the way.
Despite its plot being moderately cheesy and somewhat corny, both Halloween and Christmas confluenced in this movie, and that is not easy to accomplish.
Henry Waters' ability to mesmerize an entire town deserved, in my opinion, extended focus. I also wish they showed more killer action and explored the Aurora magic lore, both of which would've added more depth to this story.
A little Dickensian style Christmas magic and more than one Scrooge 'type' made this plot feel like a strangely fascinating rip-off of some of the Xmas movies that have come and gone.
For some odd reason, "It's a Wonderful Knife" was a cliché and yet also a gift that kept giving. Suffice to say, it was the most surprising feel-good movie of the year.
Great start, but unfortunately a disappointing 2nd half
alx_files14 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Loved Freaky and Happy Death Day! Not so much this...A good start but a terrible finish. It had its fun moments, but then it didn't.
I'll start with the good.
The mediocre.
The bad.
I'll start with the good.
- The acting. Justin Long does a great job with his character, making him a creepy, awesome bad guy. The main girl, Jane Widdop was an absolute joy to watch. A charismatic and lovely on screen presence. The rest of the cast did theirs.
- The horror. The kills and the angel bad guy were awesome. The direction and overall motive were also good and fun to watch.
- The atmosphere and scenes were nicely done.
The mediocre.
- The It's a wonderful life aspect. Some parts were good, some not so good. I know it's a horror movie, but I didn't get much emotion from it.
The bad.
- The direction and writing. This went from good, to completely losing itself, to the point it ruined the ending. There were things that happened that made absolutely zero sense, and then there were things that were messy that didn't need to be there at all.
- The ending. It was a waste of time. Justin Long's character faded out until the ending, where it was so anticlimactic and basic. I still can't believe they ended it like that.
- The love aspect. I'm all for a good love angle with whatever preference and whatnot, but this movie doesn't do kindly to straight people, and promotes cheating. It felt weird in a bad way, that it was forced into the script to make a point.
Holiday fluff
Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews19 December 2023
This was cute and pretty basic overall. It felt like it was definitely geared towards a younger audience. It was generally but lightly engaging and nothing spectacular really. I never felt bored but won't remember this 6 months from now most likely. You have definitely seen something that has a similar vibe and plot at some point in your life.
The acting was decent all around for what it was, the picture quality was nice and the pacing was decent. Overall there isn't too much to say about this one . It is definitely something fine to put on around Christmas and it's good enough to have a fun time with, just not a classic by any means. Would recommend.
The acting was decent all around for what it was, the picture quality was nice and the pacing was decent. Overall there isn't too much to say about this one . It is definitely something fine to put on around Christmas and it's good enough to have a fun time with, just not a classic by any means. Would recommend.
Solid Holiday Slasher Elements, Focuses Too Much on the Heartwarming Tale
Reviews_of_the_Dead27 November 2023
This was a movie that I was turned on via going to the Gateway Film Center. I saw part of the trailer and put it on a list of 2023 films to check out. Personally, I wish this would have been pushed to December so I could have made it a featured review. Coming out in November, I can't fault the team behind this since that's when it seems Christmas season starts.
Synopsis: after saving her town from a psychotic killer, Winnie Carruthers' (Jane Widdop) life is less than wonderful. When she wishes she'd never been born, she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe where without her, things could be much, much worse.
We start with seeing a commercial. Henry Waters (Justin Long) is trying to build a complex that will feature shops, entertainment and I believe either a hotel or housing. He is trying to take this nice town of Angel Falls and commercialize. He thinks that will make him beloved even more than he already is. I get the vibe here that this is borrowing from Gremlins 2 with Clapp.
Working for Henry is David Carruthers (Joel McHale). It sounds like he collaborated with Henry's father and should have taken over the business. Instead, due to nepotism, it went to Henry. In order for this complex to go in, they need Roger Evans (William B. Davis) to sell his house. It is borderline considered to be a historical location, but Henry killed that. Roger's family built up this town and he plans to leave his house to his granddaughter, Cara (Hana Huggins).
Now David is married to Judy (Erin Boyes) and they have this happy family. It is Christmas so her sister, Gale Prescott (Katharine Isabelle) comes over with her girlfriend, Karen Simmons (Cassandra Naud). David and Judy also have two children. Their daughter is Winnie and the golden child is Jimmy (Aiden Howard).
This Christmas is turned upside down when a masked killer, dressed up as the angel on the community tree, starts to kill off members of the community. As the synopsis said though, Winnie stops him. We then see the aftereffects a year later. She lost her best friend, her boyfriend is cheating on her, she doesn't get into her dream college and her brother's early Christmas present blows hers away. This leads to her wishing that she was never born.
That is where we get to the crux of the story. She wasn't born so therefore, the killer wasn't stopped. She knows who it is and they're on to her. In this alternative universe, Henry's younger brother who is a screw up is the sheriff, Buck (Sean Depner). Winnie's family lost Jimmy and since she wasn't born, they are now childless. This causes them to fall into a deep depression. Winnie seeks the aid of Bernie Simon (Jess McLeod), who is called 'freak' by her classmates to figure out how she can undo what she did before it is too late.
I think that should be enough for a recap and introduction to the characters. If you haven't noticed, this is a play on It's a Wonderful Life, that beloved Christmas movie. Since I don't watch trailers, I thought it was a clever pun title for a holiday horror film. It is more than that though. We are taking that story and giving it a genre twist. That was something about this that I did appreciate. Our set up shows us who the killer is, has them eliminated, seeing the effects a year later to what happened before plunging us in this different version. As someone who loves movies that features alternative timelines or even just time travel, I'm here for that.
Now that I've set that up, let me get into how this works for the movie. The best thing this does is setting the baseline of our characters. We know that Winnie is dating Robbie Olenger (Jason Fernandes). Now there is a subplot here that I noticed from the original timeline. This gets confirmed with him soon after. It seemed odd, but it was also a minor thing so I didn't pay too much attention there. We see that despite David working for Henry, his family is still happy. Bernie is bullied and Winnie is nice to her. When we shift to this other time, things are much different and it makes sense to motivations as to why.
Moving with this, the heart of It's a Wonderful Life is George Bailey learning why he should be born. That life isn't better without him. That is what we get here with Winnie. She sees what would happen to her town if that was the case. With both movies, there is that idea that when you're depressed, you think everyone would be better off without you. These both show that the ripples that happen when someone isn't there to alter characters. Winnie touches people's lives in ways she doesn't realize. I want to credit Widdop here. I thought she fit this character well. We see a range of emotions from here which I thought made this work.
Let me then shift this over to the horror aspect. I do feel that the slasher element is front in center for the opening act. When we hit the end of the first act, it becomes more of an incidental thing. The killer pops up to do a kill and that is solid. Our characters do have to avoid the killer. It did feel like it takes a backseat though for the more heartwarming side of the story. We do have a good cast of characters though that I was invested in so I'll still credit that. That is one of the important aspects for me.
Since I've brought up the characters, let me delve more into them. I've already said my piece on Winnie and Widdop's performance. I like McLeod as this mousy counterpart to her. She's been beaten down by everyone for so long. We see growth there as she helps Winnie. I think these two share the screen well. I loved the roles by McHale, Isabelle, Long and Depner. They aren't all likable characters, but they get a reaction out of me. Isabelle brought good comedy. McHale gets to show range here and I appreciated that. Outside of that, the rest rounded this out for what was needed.
All that is left then is filmmaking. Now to the other part of what makes a slasher to work, the kills. We get a decent array here. The killer tends to use a knife, but we also get like a large candy cane for one. There is a car battery kill as well. I'm not sure that would work like it does, but I'll give leeway. The practical gore was good. There was CGI with kills that you couldn't do without it and also blood spray. I did notice these. I do think that the cinematography was good. They frame things well. I'd also say the soundtrack fit what was needed.
In conclusion, this is a decent modern Christmas slasher film. I love that this is a dark parody of It's a Wonderful Life. There is good heart that comes from this part of the story. Winnie and Bernie do well carrying that story. The slasher elements are used throughout, but I also feel they take a backseat. The acting is good here. Our leads are solid with McHale, Isabelle and Long being bright spots as secondary characters. I'd say this is well made. The practical effects lead the way there with the CGI bringing it down slightly. There was a bit of a pacing issue, but that's what I have with most slasher films. This is still a fun one and would recommend giving it a viewing if you want a slasher with a bit more of a message.
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.
Synopsis: after saving her town from a psychotic killer, Winnie Carruthers' (Jane Widdop) life is less than wonderful. When she wishes she'd never been born, she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe where without her, things could be much, much worse.
We start with seeing a commercial. Henry Waters (Justin Long) is trying to build a complex that will feature shops, entertainment and I believe either a hotel or housing. He is trying to take this nice town of Angel Falls and commercialize. He thinks that will make him beloved even more than he already is. I get the vibe here that this is borrowing from Gremlins 2 with Clapp.
Working for Henry is David Carruthers (Joel McHale). It sounds like he collaborated with Henry's father and should have taken over the business. Instead, due to nepotism, it went to Henry. In order for this complex to go in, they need Roger Evans (William B. Davis) to sell his house. It is borderline considered to be a historical location, but Henry killed that. Roger's family built up this town and he plans to leave his house to his granddaughter, Cara (Hana Huggins).
Now David is married to Judy (Erin Boyes) and they have this happy family. It is Christmas so her sister, Gale Prescott (Katharine Isabelle) comes over with her girlfriend, Karen Simmons (Cassandra Naud). David and Judy also have two children. Their daughter is Winnie and the golden child is Jimmy (Aiden Howard).
This Christmas is turned upside down when a masked killer, dressed up as the angel on the community tree, starts to kill off members of the community. As the synopsis said though, Winnie stops him. We then see the aftereffects a year later. She lost her best friend, her boyfriend is cheating on her, she doesn't get into her dream college and her brother's early Christmas present blows hers away. This leads to her wishing that she was never born.
That is where we get to the crux of the story. She wasn't born so therefore, the killer wasn't stopped. She knows who it is and they're on to her. In this alternative universe, Henry's younger brother who is a screw up is the sheriff, Buck (Sean Depner). Winnie's family lost Jimmy and since she wasn't born, they are now childless. This causes them to fall into a deep depression. Winnie seeks the aid of Bernie Simon (Jess McLeod), who is called 'freak' by her classmates to figure out how she can undo what she did before it is too late.
I think that should be enough for a recap and introduction to the characters. If you haven't noticed, this is a play on It's a Wonderful Life, that beloved Christmas movie. Since I don't watch trailers, I thought it was a clever pun title for a holiday horror film. It is more than that though. We are taking that story and giving it a genre twist. That was something about this that I did appreciate. Our set up shows us who the killer is, has them eliminated, seeing the effects a year later to what happened before plunging us in this different version. As someone who loves movies that features alternative timelines or even just time travel, I'm here for that.
Now that I've set that up, let me get into how this works for the movie. The best thing this does is setting the baseline of our characters. We know that Winnie is dating Robbie Olenger (Jason Fernandes). Now there is a subplot here that I noticed from the original timeline. This gets confirmed with him soon after. It seemed odd, but it was also a minor thing so I didn't pay too much attention there. We see that despite David working for Henry, his family is still happy. Bernie is bullied and Winnie is nice to her. When we shift to this other time, things are much different and it makes sense to motivations as to why.
Moving with this, the heart of It's a Wonderful Life is George Bailey learning why he should be born. That life isn't better without him. That is what we get here with Winnie. She sees what would happen to her town if that was the case. With both movies, there is that idea that when you're depressed, you think everyone would be better off without you. These both show that the ripples that happen when someone isn't there to alter characters. Winnie touches people's lives in ways she doesn't realize. I want to credit Widdop here. I thought she fit this character well. We see a range of emotions from here which I thought made this work.
Let me then shift this over to the horror aspect. I do feel that the slasher element is front in center for the opening act. When we hit the end of the first act, it becomes more of an incidental thing. The killer pops up to do a kill and that is solid. Our characters do have to avoid the killer. It did feel like it takes a backseat though for the more heartwarming side of the story. We do have a good cast of characters though that I was invested in so I'll still credit that. That is one of the important aspects for me.
Since I've brought up the characters, let me delve more into them. I've already said my piece on Winnie and Widdop's performance. I like McLeod as this mousy counterpart to her. She's been beaten down by everyone for so long. We see growth there as she helps Winnie. I think these two share the screen well. I loved the roles by McHale, Isabelle, Long and Depner. They aren't all likable characters, but they get a reaction out of me. Isabelle brought good comedy. McHale gets to show range here and I appreciated that. Outside of that, the rest rounded this out for what was needed.
All that is left then is filmmaking. Now to the other part of what makes a slasher to work, the kills. We get a decent array here. The killer tends to use a knife, but we also get like a large candy cane for one. There is a car battery kill as well. I'm not sure that would work like it does, but I'll give leeway. The practical gore was good. There was CGI with kills that you couldn't do without it and also blood spray. I did notice these. I do think that the cinematography was good. They frame things well. I'd also say the soundtrack fit what was needed.
In conclusion, this is a decent modern Christmas slasher film. I love that this is a dark parody of It's a Wonderful Life. There is good heart that comes from this part of the story. Winnie and Bernie do well carrying that story. The slasher elements are used throughout, but I also feel they take a backseat. The acting is good here. Our leads are solid with McHale, Isabelle and Long being bright spots as secondary characters. I'd say this is well made. The practical effects lead the way there with the CGI bringing it down slightly. There was a bit of a pacing issue, but that's what I have with most slasher films. This is still a fun one and would recommend giving it a viewing if you want a slasher with a bit more of a message.
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.
I wish this had never been born.
dfdwdn4 December 2023
So fed up with this DIE (yes I meant DEI, but let's get the letters in the correct order, it's killing movies) I was put off, within the first 10 mins. I tried to like it. But at 57yrs, I think I'll stick with the likes of the original black Christmas, krampus etc. I love horrors, it's what I watch most of the time and have an extensive collection of physical media. Stop appealing to a tiny minority, give us movies we all can enjoy. I'm not bothered who's in a film, if the stories good. Eg US creepy as hell and Talk to me. But this ticks every box twice and then some. Please bring back good story telling. Us horror buffs need it. And it's what will bring us back to the cinemas.
It wasn't that bad..
danielleshaffi2 December 2023
I didn't hate it but it could have been better. I think the lead actress acting was terrible though and could have a been a little better.
I understand the bad reviews but I think everyone missed the memo on the fact it was meant to be a little tacky, it is a comedy/horror after all. It could have been funnier though I think, the comedy was too subtle. The only time I actually laughed was when the kid outside the house got kicked in the nuts.
To be honest the only reason I actually watched it to begin with was because its a Justin Long movie. I'd enjoy anything he stars in. Also I think Jessica Mcleod (Bernie) would have suited the leading character better. Her acting wasn't all that bad.
I understand the bad reviews but I think everyone missed the memo on the fact it was meant to be a little tacky, it is a comedy/horror after all. It could have been funnier though I think, the comedy was too subtle. The only time I actually laughed was when the kid outside the house got kicked in the nuts.
To be honest the only reason I actually watched it to begin with was because its a Justin Long movie. I'd enjoy anything he stars in. Also I think Jessica Mcleod (Bernie) would have suited the leading character better. Her acting wasn't all that bad.
Simply Dumb
tsjschoelen24 October 2023
Got to see the movie early as part of a Regal promotion, and without exageration I can say this was the worst thing I have ever seen in a movie theater. I mean it was seriously terrible, only two or three actors seemed to give a crap, they must've spent most of the budget getting Joel McHale and Justin Long because the effects looked like they were done by a high schooler. Every single one of the characters were insufferable, dumb, and just flat out lame, I'd also like to point out that Jane Widdop did a good job showing us why you shouldn't characterize drama through heavy breathing. And then there's the plot, let's just say it was intensley flawed and leave it at that. The main problem with this movie is that I have no idea what direction they were trying to take the film, or rather they weren't clear with it at all. What it a genuine attempt at a slasher film? What it supposed to be making fun of slasher films? Or was it just a a nothing film filled with a bullcrap story that they knew was going to suck, which is why it seemed no one cared about making this dumpster fire of a film that couldn't even reach mediocrity. If they made it clear that it was meant to be a joke slasher film and played on the dumb things that happened, then maybe it might've been slightly more enjoyable? Maybe? In the end though we are left with a film with ZERO effort and ZERO creativity. Overall just a dumb, dumb, film and a continous groan. Truly I don't see how anyone can enjoy this.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
