This is a film thats hard to define allover. it is for sure a horror flick where the end section should have been the intro, and where the christmas carol(''helga nat'',a beautiful song though) in the end is sung in swedish in an all american movie, a weird choice if you ask me.
its a film made by a small brand, and it shows some signs of poverty, but it has also flare ups of great filmaking, which to choose though are difficult.
its a film with a lot of christmas feel, and glory good looking old toys that hides cruel forces within, a x-mas holiday spent at an old mansion that where built as an orpanage a long time ago, where the lost souls of deceased and lonely children lingers in the corners, and where havoc is made the more merry the story becomes. the gift opening seanse has some creepiness that might scare, but not the grumpy old man...
...because the story are interrupted by inconsistencies, the special effects and animated toys are of pre-gremlins quality, where the acting are so bland and stiff, and the editing are clumsy so even a housemaid would have done it better...
... and who the main target audience is for this film is a mouse in a maze maze that cant find the way out, because its to scary for the small one, too scary and cruel for a primetime watch for a good cristian x-mas get together round the tv-set, its far too clumsy and cheap for the seasoned horror lover, and quite frankly i think this will become an all time iconic x-mas turkey that will atain cult status in about 25 years when the new normal have struck us back centuries, but thats the opinion of a grumpy old man, its no more that a 5, and its given for a well done decorative and well done location design production.
