‘Carnage For Christmas’ Review – A Vengeful Santa Claus Brings More Than Season’s Greetings To A Small Town [Fantasia Fest 2024]

In Carnage For Christmas, a deadly urban legend threatens to destroy a small town polluted by bigotry and discrimination in this holiday horror film.

Intelligent, resourceful, and fierce, Lola (Jeremy Moineau) has spent years building a name for herself as a popular true crime podcaster. When she returns to her hometown for the first time since transitioning from male to female, she unexpectedly finds herself at the epicenter of a series of gruesome murders. As the body count rises, Lola and her friends pull back the curtain on their town’s long-buried secrets and history of mistreating outsiders with deadly results.

Director Alice Maio Mackay crafts a bloody good mystery in this film. She blends horror, mystery, and the story of one woman facing down her past to save the innocent people around her. With Lola, she creates a heroine who is vulnerable and tragic but also strong and resourceful. Lola is the latest in a growing pantheon of LGBTQ final girl protagonists who channel their pain and mistreatment into strength to survive and protect. The film’s social commentary on the abuse of outsiders will leave viewers entertained and intellectually stimulated. Like so many great horror films, Carnage For Christmas uses the genre to illuminate and elevate issues that, unfortunately, plague the real world.

Moineau’s portrayal of Lola is filled with heart, snark, and likeability that will have viewers rooting for the character the moment she pops on screen. This is not only someone you want to survive the movie but a character you’d like to befriend in real life. Her acceptance of others, natural confidence, and charisma will draw viewers in and keep them engaged in her journey.

The film’s supporting cast is where it falls short. The characters are there, of course, but they don’t get much development. For example, the last time Lola’s sister, Danielle (Dominque Booth), saw her was before the transition. Although Danielle is the supporting and loving sister that Lola deserves, it would have been nice to get a few moments to explore how she feels about everything. Yes, she’s supportive, but it would have been nice to get moments in which we learn why she can be so supportive and loving. Many LGBTQ individuals experience being ostracized by family members after they come out or transition, so even having a moment in which Danielle defends Lola against an old acquaintance would have given insight into her inner workings.

There’s also Kent (Tumelo Nthupi), a local police officer who teams up with Lola to solve the murders. As a cop who is working within a corrupt system and a person of color living in a bigoted town, it would have been fascinating to spend more time with the character and learn how he navigates his precarious position. Alas, he is given no such development.

Overall, Carnage For Christmas is an enjoyable slasher with enough mystery, social commentary, and gore to keep horror fans engaged. The talent of its cast and young director will leave viewers interested in seeing what this group of talented individuals makes next.

Carnage For Christmas had its Montreal Premiere in the Underground section of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival.

Director: Alice Maio Mackay

Writers: Alice Maio Mackay, Ben Pahl Robinson

Rated: NR

Runtime: 70m