You have to tip your hat to Patrick Ridgemont on this one...because not only has he made a pretty cool film...but the concept itself is downright brilliant...as it's replicability is designed right into the story.
I'm sure he was influenced by the Saw series...and felt he could do better than the goofy spiral eyed character from the Saw films.
Because he does exactly that here with what is almost certainly a prop based on the dybbuk box- which was an alchemically sealed wine cabinet said to be harbouring some sort of demonic Jewish spirit that was sold on ebay.
Only, here it's been extrapolated into this really rad looking German advent calendar (the film is Belgian, but in French by the way) that seems to target people with disabilities, as a sort of puzzle box of death...in what can only be described as a f***ed up game where they're given the choice to live free from their disability, in exchange for...let's just say...a bunch of murder...
The whole thing is incredibly creepy. The monster is pretty cool. And there's a pretty rad little twist in the end.
So it's a pretty decent and worthwhile little film!
With big potential to become a full blown Christmas horror franchise.
As, obviously- like I already mentioned above- it sets itself up for a sequel, in a way that is very easily replicable, with a model where you can change up pretty much everything to suit the shifting context.
I guess you might argue that they'll eventually run out of disabilities to cover...but you could always go niche...to space...the hood...las vegas?... I dunno...have some crossover fun with Evil Bong?!
Or just change the rules, I guess.
Anyways...it's a shudder original film, so I'm sure they're pleased as santa's piss they've got a little franchise on their hands here.
Hopefully they don't go and mess up what is currently a good thing!
7 out of 10.
