While it's no secret that I love a good horror movie, I don't talk as much about certain types of Christmas movies. Honestly, when it comes to a Christmas movie, I don't like them very much. Some, whether it's Love Actually or Die Hard (yes, it counts), shine, but the old standbys don't do much for me.
So while a horror version of It's a Wonderful Life intrigued me, my indifference to the latter kept me from being as excited about it as I normally would be by a Michael Kennedy script (Freaky is awesome, in a nutshell). Fool Me, It's a Wonderful Knife is a clever and fun take on the story, clearly paying homage with affection, while spilling more than its fair share of blood. In hybrid terms, this is superior.
Director: Tyler MacIntyre
Writer: Michael Kennedy
Stars: Jane Widdop, Jess McLeod, Joel McHale
It's a Wonderful Knife works like a Christmas movie, no doubt, as long as the blood doesn't bother you. As for horror fans, they will surely love this violent version of the story. The film doesn't take itself seriously, but it does choose to take the homage seriously, which is a good choice. It makes both sides of the coin feel equal to each other, elevating both sides at the same time.
It's Christmas Eve in the town of Salto Ángel, a place that loves the holiday. Teenager Winnie Carruthers (Jane Widdop) is ready to celebrate with her parents David (Joel McHale) and Judy (Erin Boyes), as well as her brother Jimmy (Aiden Howard), when duty calls for her father. she. She works for the town's mayor, Henry Waters (Justin Long), who is looking to develop land that a resident is holding onto. They go to work, while Winnie and Jimmy go to a party. There, they are attacked, along with their friends, by a masked killer. Winnie's best friend Cara (Hana Huggins) is murdered, but Winnie saves Jimmy by killing the demon, who is revealed to be Mayor Waters. A year later, she's not coping well, even as everyone else tries to move on. During one difficult night, she wishes on some lights in the sky and, boom, she's never born.
Realizing what happened, Winnie is shocked, although the situation becomes even more serious when the murderer appears. Winnie changed the past, so not only is the killer still there, but he also murdered Jimmy. With no friends or family, she is able to convince school outcast Bernie (Jess McLeod) to help her. However, time is running out. Not only does she need to stop the murders, but she must also figure out how to get home before the lights disappear, trapping her in this reality forever.
The cast definitely knows the movie they're in, which is always a plus in the case of horror. Justin Long especially is playing it off perfectly, while Jane Widdop is a strong horror heroine. Her lighter scenes with Jess McLeod, in particular, are lovely. Joel McHale is a bit one-note, but he has the gravitas necessary for the role. Supporting players here include the aforementioned Erin Boyes, Aiden Howard, and Hana Huggins, along with Sean Depner, Cassandra Naud, and more.
Director Tyler MacIntyre takes Michael Kennedy's script and executes it very efficiently. While there is a bit more creativity, both visual and plot, in Freaky, It's a Wonderful Knife is still very successful. The care Kennedy and MacIntyre show in honoring the Christmas elements is evident, so even if the slasher elements are a bit standard fare, they're elevated by the overall genre mashup.
It's a wonderful knife that could well become a cult classic for multiple holidays, and both Christmas and Halloween could claim it. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Kennedy's concept scripts, especially if they're as fun as these last two have been. If you like horror to be fun, this is the one to look for, especially if you're in a festive mood!
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