Christmas Evil (You Better Watch Out) (1980)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Cory T

  
  As if a Norman Rockwell painting was shattered over the fireplace, a child's fragile perception of Santa as a caretaker is skewed when he sees Santa caressing his mother's leg. If your idea of heart-stopping insanity is a man humming Christmas tunes and donating toys to… More
  As if a Norman Rockwell painting was shattered over the fireplace, a child's fragile perception of Santa as a caretaker is skewed when he sees Santa caressing his mother's leg. If your idea of heart-stopping insanity is a man humming Christmas tunes and donating toys to mentally challenged children, this is the movie for you. The whole premise is far-fetched and ripe for a dark comedy, not a psychological drama. The film is entirely poker-faced when a newscaster announces "avoid anyone dressed as Santa" and during a police lineup where they coerce belly laughs out of the suspects. The film feels very dated and is exquisitely moronic. The last frames defy justification and only accentuate the film's tin-ear fancifulness.

• AJ V

  
  This is a slasher movie where the psycho is obsessed with creating a great Santa Claus for children, and with punishing the adults who don't believe anymore of course. He even works at a toy factory! The guy who plays him is pretty creepy, but there's not as much blood and… More
  This is a slasher movie where the psycho is obsessed with creating a great Santa Claus for children, and with punishing the adults who don't believe anymore of course. He even works at a toy factory! The guy who plays him is pretty creepy, but there's not as much blood and gore as there could have been, and the other actors aren't so good. Overall, it's an okay Christmas horror movie.

• Tim S

  
  This started out rather slowly, but kept building. It winds up getting more and more serious until it just goes flat-out silly at the very end - with an ending totally off-the-wall and completely insane that I have to give the filmmakers props for being so ballsy. It may not be… More
  This started out rather slowly, but kept building. It winds up getting more and more serious until it just goes flat-out silly at the very end - with an ending totally off-the-wall and completely insane that I have to give the filmmakers props for being so ballsy. It may not be perfect, but it's got some good things going for it.

• Greg S

  
  After Harry sees a man dressed as jolly St. Nick make love to his mother one Christmas Eve as a child, he grows up obsessed with Santa Claus, going so far as to spy on neighborhood kids and keep his own list of who's been naughty and nice. One Christmas Eve, he snaps. A… More
  After Harry sees a man dressed as jolly St. Nick make love to his mother one Christmas Eve as a child, he grows up obsessed with Santa Claus, going so far as to spy on neighborhood kids and keep his own list of who's been naughty and nice. One Christmas Eve, he snaps. A character study and not a slasher film, despite the marketing. It alternates between atmospheric and darkly witty, and just plain ridiculous. Still, it's probably the "best" killer Santa movie ever made.

• Bruce B

  
  Wouldn't let my children see this one. Just a little to off the wall, Mom and Santa Scenes are something that Jr is going to ask about erest asured.

• Lafe F

  
  A terrible movie. It's not Santa running around killing people like they make it out to be. The actual story has a mentally ill toy factory worker who is obsessed with the idea of Christmas. Brandon Maggart would've been better off growing his white beard for this movie. The… More
  A terrible movie. It's not Santa running around killing people like they make it out to be. The actual story has a mentally ill toy factory worker who is obsessed with the idea of Christmas. Brandon Maggart would've been better off growing his white beard for this movie. The film also looks dark and murky. I hated it for misrepresentation. Check out Santa's Slay and Silent Night Deadly Night, which are more in line with a killer Santa image.

• Jason R

  
  I don't think since Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer have I seen such a disturbing and convincing performance, Brandon Maggart very effectively portrays a very mentally unstable man who embarks on a very odd, and bloody journey through the snow covered streets of New York city… More
  I don't think since Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer have I seen such a disturbing and convincing performance, Brandon Maggart very effectively portrays a very mentally unstable man who embarks on a very odd, and bloody journey through the snow covered streets of New York city dressed as Santa and set out giving presents to those who have been good, and a well placed axe to the head to those who have been naughty. This is a hell of a lot of fun to watch, but only if you are in the mood for something a little darker than the regularly scheduled Christmas films that are usually on TV this time of year.

• Christopher B

  
  My second favourite Xmas film after A Christmas Story. Brandon Maggart's perfomance is truly amazing, it's too bad he wasn't in more films. And after just watching it again, Jackson was far ahead of him time. The image of Santa being chased by villagers with torches… More
  My second favourite Xmas film after A Christmas Story. Brandon Maggart's perfomance is truly amazing, it's too bad he wasn't in more films. And after just watching it again, Jackson was far ahead of him time. The image of Santa being chased by villagers with torches in the style of Universal monsters isn't too far from how he's treated by the public today who don't want you saying "Merry Christmas". Brilliant and thoroughly entertaining. Much closer to Taxi Driver or Driller Killer in being the story of a lonely, disturbed man going insane rather than the slasher films everyone wants this film to be. I am a little surprised when after someone watches it they still insist on throwing it in the slasher genre (a genre I love, but c'mon if this is a slasher film then so is Taxi Driver, 187, Death Wish, etc) when it clearly isn't.

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