Krampus

When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max (Anthony) is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil, intent on punishing nonbelievers. All hell breaks loose as beloved holiday icons take on a monstrous life of their own, laying siege to the fractured family’s home and forcing them to fight for each other if they hope to survive. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director/Co-Writer Michael Dougherty and Co-Writers Todd Casey and Zach Shields; an alternate ending (HD 01:24); eight deleted scenes and extended scenes (HD 17:41); a gag reel (HD 05:15); The Naughty Ones: Meet The Cast (HD 04:49); galleries; five featurettes: Krampus And His Minions (HD 12:06), Practical Danger (HD 05:03), Inside The Snowglobe: Production Design (HD 04:49), Behind The Scenes At Weta Workshop (HD 09:54), and Dougherty’s Vision (HD 03:09); upfront previews, and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 2.39:1 1080p AVC picture was photographed digitally using the Arri Alexa XT Plus camera system and exhibits a pleasing appearance. Much of the movie is very dark and requires a darkened home theatre environment for optimal viewing. Contrast is acceptable, but shadow delineation is at times buried in the darkness and at other times is revealing. The color palette is vivid in the opening scenes but then darkens substantially as the story progresses, often with lighting limited to a fire in the fireplace and candles throughout the darkened interior of the family's home. Fleshtones are impacted by the glow of the fire, and candles appear at times with a reddish push. The animated scene is nicely executed. Resolution is quite good and revealing of fine detail in facial features. Minor noise is noticeable during the darkest scenes but is not objectionable. Overall, this is a well-executed visual experience that succeeds at creating an eerie appearance. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1-channel soundtrack is effectively dynamic, with both creepy nuanced sonics and fully energized sound effects. Deep bass is extensively used and extends often to sub-25 Hz frequencies. Atmospherics and sound effects, such as gun shots and demonic goings-on, are effectively dimensional, with an aggressive surround presence. The orchestral and choral score is nicely recorded with excellent fidelity and spatial dimensionality. The sound stage is quite expansive and aggressively extends to the surrounds. There is quite a bit of soundfield panning, which effectively is enveloping. Dialogue is always intelligible and nicely integrated spatially. This is an exciting and entertaining soundtrack, with an emphasis on atmospherics and sound effects, aided by a dynamic music score. The sonics will not disappoint and provide an intense holosonic® experience. (Gary Reber)