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A wide paper desert landscape stretches beneath a red sunset, with a dry creek in the foreground and a Christmas-lit ranch on the right.
A dry paper creek winds beneath a remote ranch house with Christmas lights, silhouetted against a dark red dusk sky.

Essential Christmas · 2016

Krampus Unleashed

13/100Festive FactorWhy it scores 13 ↓
UK certificate 1880 min
Horror

A Christmas devil film that forgets about Christmas almost as soon as the credits stop.

On Prime Video · UK subscription →
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Explore this film 5 sections

The CineClaus Christmas score

Festive Factor

A different kind of Christmas.

A sandy paper creek winds between angular rocks and desert plants towards a ranch house lit for Christmas under a red evening sky.

A little magic in the making.

Five ingredients make the Festive Factor.
Open an ingredient to find out more.

Christmas in the storyChristmas is only the occasion.10/30

What we ask: Take Christmas out. Does the plot survive? Worth up to 30 of the 100 points.

A world dressed for ChristmasVisibly Christmas for a scene or two.0/20

What we ask: How much of the running time is visibly Christmas? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

The little seasonal details0 of the 10 kinds of Christmas icon we count turn up on screen.0/15

What we ask: How many kinds of Christmas icon turn up on screen: trees, lights, snow, carols and the rest? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

A Christmas heartHow far the ending rests on goodwill, family and belief: not at all.0/20

What we ask: Does the ending depend on what Christmas means: goodwill, family, redemption, belief? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

A returning traditionNiche at Christmas (under 25,000).3/15

What we ask: Is it actually watched at Christmas in the UK? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

18/100

Cosiness Rating Rating

Chilly in tone. Grim. An unsettled ending.

How we score →
What do these scores mean?

Festive Factor measures how Christmassy a film is. Five ingredients add up to 100: story (30), setting (20), seasonal details (15), emotional heart (20) and returning tradition (15).

Cosiness is a separate score for warmth of tone, sense of safety, visual comfort, a reassuring ending and how easily you can settle into it.

How the Festive Factor works →
Your next film night

Where to watch

United KingdomChecked

Prime Video

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The story

About Krampus Unleashed

In 1898 an outlaw buries stolen gold in the desert and curses anyone who disturbs it. Generations later treasure hunters dig up a coal-like summoning stone tied to the legend of Saint Nicholas and the Krampus, and only one of them, Coop, survives what it lets loose. In the present day an extended family gathers at the parents' home for Christmas, a child finds the same stone in a creek, and a cigarette sets it off again. A gory, low-budget creature feature that uses the Christmas devil as its monster.

The CineClaus verdict

A Christmas devil film that forgets about Christmas almost as soon as the credits stop.

The family gathering is only an excuse to put people within reach of a man in a horned suit, and the dry desert setting does nothing for the season. The practical gore is the one thing done with real care, and fans of rubber-monster splatter will find a few kills worth the wait.

Everything else, from the muddy sound to the shapeless plot, is hard going.

The family desk

Can the kids watch?

18

Our take: not for children: heavy gore from the first ten minutes, including a disembowelling, and a body count that takes in most of a family.

Content advice & accessibility
Our age guidance
Editorial, separate from the official 18 certificate, and never looser than it.

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Elsewhere on CineClaus

More places to find Krampus Unleashed, and a few good reasons to keep exploring.

In this collection

Ho Ho Horror: the best Christmas horror films

Krampus Unleashed is in this collection

Explore the collection

Read a little further

Collection

The best Christmas films for adults

Explore the collection
Stay for another story.All collections · The Christmas Edit