I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the seventh night, I am posting the 2023 black comedy The Christmas Spirit.
After ignoring his little sister's request for help hanging lights, a teen boy watches her die in a tragic accident after she slips off the roof. Years later, her death haunts him in the form of the Spirit of Christmas dressed as a masked wrestler. While he tries to live an everyday life, the spirit pushes him to seek closure by kidnapping a young girl who he claims is his sister's reborn. The Christmas Spirit is a dark holiday story directed by Bennet De Brabandere. The dark tone of this story is evident in the tragic death in the opening act. Yet, the movie shifts into black comedy territory with the perils of mental illness, social media, and toxic parenting ever-present. Stuntman Zion Forrest Lee does a great job portraying the adult Cole in a role where his delusions and longtime guilt steer his actions. Matia Jackett appears in dual roles as Cole's sister and Maggie, the girl he kidnaps. The best part goes to professional wrestler Nicolas Grimes, whose role as The Christmas Spirit helps the movie skirt some problematic subject matter while offering much-needed comic dialogue and action in this movie. While The Christmas Spirit is not the usual holiday horror movie, it entertains with comedy moments and awkward situations.
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