Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Throughout cinematic history, we've encountered some terrifying portrayals of Santa Claus, like Gene Hackman's gritty undercover cop in The French Connection and Billy Bob Thornton's hilariously sleazy fraud in Bad Santa. However, none of them compare to the darkly humorous and bone-chilling Santa Claus in "Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale."
"Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale" is a darkly humorous Finnish fantasy film that takes a unique spin on the traditional Christmas story. Set in the Korvatunturi mountains of Lapland, the film follows young Pietari and his father Rauno, who make a living herding reindeer.
Strange events begin to unfold in their village when a secretive archaeological excavation disturbs an ancient burial mound on the nearby mountain. As Christmas approaches, the local reindeer herds are mysteriously slaughtered, and children in the village go missing.
Drawing inspiration from classic horror films like The Thing and The Exorcist, the excavation reveals a shocking truth: the ancient Laplanders froze and buried the real Santa Claus there a thousand years ago. This wasn't your jolly gift-giver, though. This Santa was a monstrous, horned cannibal, accompanied by his wicked elves who used their sacks not for presents, but for abducting innocent children to serve their malevolent master.
Filled with intrigue, humor, and resourcefulness, this Finnish horror flick offers a unique and captivating experience, infusing it with darkness and unleashing a host of imaginative terrors upon the screen. Get ready for an electrifying and ingeniously woven narrative that will have you hooked from start to finish.
Release: 2010
Stars: Jorma Tommila, Onni Tommila, Peeter Jakobi
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
