Christmas Cheer Can’t Bring Santastein (2023) Back from the Dead

Title: Santastein

First Non-Festival Release: December 19, 2023 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)

Director: Manuel Camilion, Benjamin Edelman

Writer: Manuel Camilion, Benjamin Edelman

Runtime: 87 Minutes

Starring: Jared Korotkin, Michael Vitovich, Ophelia Rivera

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

The original science fiction story and one of the most iconic horror stories of all time, ‘Frankenstein’ has persisted in media for years as a way to discuss man’s desire to play God. Its longevity comes from the timelessness of the tale and philosophical implications of the material.

As a child, Max (Jared Korotkin) killed Santa Claus (Michael Vitovich) and has been living with guilt ever since. In an effort to make up for his mistake, he dedicates himself to studying science in hopes of resurrecting him. After 12 long years, Max finally manages to bring Santa back to life. Unfortunately, he has a taste for murder and goes on a homicidal rampage through town. Now Max and his friends must work together to stop Santastein’s holiday rampage.

Decidedly mediocre Christmas slasher Santastein lacks the holiday cheer or slasher fun to sell its B-movie premise.

In its earnestness to deliver a fun Christmas slasher, Santastein suffers from serious narrative and pacing issues. Despite its relatively brisk runtime, the action drags across the film. Scenes linger, making moments between characters feel longer than necessary. Not only does it hamper character development and diminish the humor, but it also zaps the tension out of the more horrific scenes. Drawing tension is an art, and when the camera snaps too quickly or hovers too long, the moment is gone.

Weak performances and underdeveloped characters make the film struggle even more with developing its story. It’s clear that the cast is in on the joke and that no one is taking the film too seriously. Unfortunately, the comedic chops vary amongst the cast. Given that much of the cast is comprised of teen actors, there is a lack of polish present in many of their interactions that gives rise to awkward chemistry and rough line delivery. It doesn’t help that the characters are not written exceedingly well, so there is little for them to work with too. While Max deals with the ramifications of his decisions, both to kill and resurrect Santa Claus, the film does little beyond him dutifully rectifying his mistake. Whatever underlying emotions are there are secondary to the immediate problem of Santastein killing townsfolk.

Muddied audio and poor lighting make it difficult to fully immerse into the universe of Santastein. Difficult to hear at times, there is an ever-present muffling of the sound in Santastein that clashes with the audio and backing noises. It’s slight, but once heard it is impossible to tune out. Despite some solid daytime shots, Santastein really suffers from poor lighting during its nighttime sequences. Obscuring much of the action, the film suffers from rough shots that look better on paper than actuality. While some of the vision comes through, the action onscreen suffers from the darkness.

Conceptually, Santastein offers a unique twist on the Christmas slasher that ought to be celebrated despite its pitfalls. Plenty of imagination goes into crafting the lore behind Santastein and the ways in which Max makes his reanimation reality. The playfulness of the premise allows the film to lean into the ludicrousness of the scenario and have fun with it. Its science-fiction element is underrated too. There aren’t too many Christmas themed horror sci-fi films, and even less with Santa front-and-center. Santastein manages to carve out a niche for those thirsting for counter programming during the holiday season.

Far from the worst film to exist, Santastein is a plucky holiday slasher that doesn’t rise to the occasion. A few chuckles and inspired moments aside, Santastein feels more like a side-show carnival ride than a fully realized film. There’s clearly plenty of heart present, so it is hard to discount the tenacity of the crew involved, but it doesn’t make up for the underwhelming experience. If the concept alone intrigues you, check it out. You never know if Santastein will resurrect different feelings in you than this reviewer.

Overall Score? 3/10