Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Dir: Jalmari Helander

2010

****

If you fancy an alternative Christmas movie but have seen Bad Santa enough times already and you refuse to count Die Hard as a festive film, then Jalmari Helander's Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is the holiday film for you. Its premise is brilliant and very un-christmassy. During a scientific excavation of what is believed to be the worlds largest burial mount in the world, a group of reindeer herders are startled to find all of their beloved animals slaughtered one snowy morning. After a succession of brutal murders and following the disappearance of many local children, a lone child and the herders discover that the real story of Santa Claus isn't quite the fairytale legend we have all become to believe. The naughty and nice debate and the reason there are multiple Santas are both explained brilliantly. It's about as clever as a horror/fantasy/Christmas films can be and it is beautifully written and directed. A cult alternative, best viewed late on Christmas eve. A brother's Grimm tale with a modern twist, refreshingly original and impressive in every genre it crosses over.