Rating Breakdown:
Story - 1.25 :: Direction - 1.00 :: Pacing - 1.25 :: Performances - 1.25 :: Entertainment - 1.00
TOTAL - 5.75/10
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who embrace Christmas with festive glee and those who see it as a season of lurking horror. "Advent, also known as The Krampus Calendar," firmly belongs in the latter category, wrapping itself in tinsel-draped terror. It is, in short, a Christmas horror film that tests your patience before rewarding you, like a stubborn festive cracker that refuses to snap.
Let me be clear: the first quarter-hour is a test of endurance. The pacing is sluggish, the setup is clumsy, and the cursed Advent Calendar, a supposed relic of eldritch terror, looks like a discount shop decoration hastily spray-painted black. It is, frankly, naff.
Yet, much like a horror protagonist who foolishly ignores ominous warnings, perseverance pays off. The story follows a vlogger of all things macabre and her sceptical sidekick as they uncover a legend about an ancient Krampus-themed Advent Calendar. Naturally, they come into possession of one, and our protagonist, as horror tradition dictates, begins opening its drawers. What starts as eerie inconvenience soon spirals into psychological torment as reality blurs and darkness descends.
While the film lacks polish, it makes up for it with atmosphere. The director, despite an amateur touch, excels in eerie lighting and creeping shadows. The slow-burn pacing, initially frustrating, eventually draws you into its unsettling world. By the time the calendar's grip tightens, the film drips with dread, and I found myself thoroughly absorbed despite my early scepticism.
The acting is the film's strongest asset. The lead delivers a convincing descent into madness, and the supporting cast adds authenticity to the documentary Vlog format. Only the calendar's original seller disappoints, his wooden performance rivalled only by the balsa wood of the cursed object itself. Fortunately, his role is mercifully brief.
Had "Advent" boasted a stronger start and a more refined directorial hand, it might have been a sleeper hit. As it stands, it is an intriguing but flawed entry, like a glass of eggnog; too thick at first but oddly satisfying once you settle in.
Should you watch "Advent" this Christmas? If you seek something to unnerve you between repeats of "The Snowman," you could do worse. Just keep the remote handy for the first stretch and endure the rough opening. After all, 'tis the season for giving second chances, even to flawed but entertaining slices of demonic yuletide horror.
