Carnage For Christmas LGBTQIA2S+ Gore Fest At Fantasia 2024

If Art the Clown can pull off a Santa suit in Terrifier 3, why not an LGBTQIA2S+ slasher movie set at Christmastime to go with it? Bad Girl Boogey, So Vam, and T-Blockers pave the way for Alice Maio Mackay’s latest feature film, Carnage For Christmas. Co-written by Benjamin Pahl Robinson the indie horror follows a classic model in the best type of setting. The story revolves around a historical account of a Santa suit-wearing killer in a small town called Purdan, Australia.

Lola takes center stage. She tells the urban legend as part of a true-crime podcast. She ponders what going back to her hometown might feel like. Labeled The Toymaker, the chilling tale dates back to the 1930s when it was told that a man killed his entire family while dressed as Santa. The story was even more personal considering that as kids, she and her friends would enter the house where everything went down as part of a regular game of truth or dare.

Since transitioning, her star has risen, and she tells her audience about a time when she found the skeletal remains of the one unaccounted-for victim of the slaying. As the case is still an unsolved mystery her desire to figure out who was behind it all lingers. The Toymaker was said to have been a kind and gentle soul before the massacre, giving gifts to children at Christmas. That’s if it was even true of course.

The cinematography is a highlight with a load of interesting visuals layered over sentimental and decisive points about inclusivity and hatred. Those who enjoy a sleuthing story interlaced with POV insight into life in the queer lane will enjoy the lengthy spoken beginning. I know I did. The lighting is divine as is the color aesthetic. If anything, Carnage for Christmas is easy on the eyes.

Once back in Purdan, she arrives at her sister Danielle’s house. She gets a less than receptive welcome from her housemate, Julie who is quickly accused of being transphobic. Hours later she is mowed down by a knife-wielding Santa. The gore is restrained but effective. An artsy version of off-screen violence, stylised choices of scary Santa imagery are splashed in between shots of blood and death.

Carnage For Christmas Gets Bloody

“Little boys break toys, little girls break toys. “

When Lola reunites with old friends at a new gay bar in town, they soon realise that not only is Julie missing but the girl she snuck out to see hasn’t been seen recently either. Setting her investigatory meter to high, Lola starts sniffing out clues that lead down a familiar but terrifying path. The audience also gets glimpses into Lola’s life before she left Purdan featuring flashbacks of assault and bullying.

After the murder of their friends is announced on TV and knowing the police are useless to assist, Lola enlists her sister to help her uncover the truth. The police don’t think Lola did it, but they insist that her presence is stirring things up. The Sergeant appoints her as a person of interest to stop her from leaving.

“You told, so I came back”

While the story flows nicely in a murder mystery way, Carnage for Christmas wavers underneath the usual pressure points. Enlisting a local policeman and investigating the bloody remains as a side hustle feels underdone at times. The remaining swathe of practical effects do their part to show the serious nature of the killings in the town. As the title wears on, the kills get a little more visceral, but if you have a low tolerance for blood and guts, this is a title that will serve those needs.

Each time a copycat Toymaker kills, he leaves a card behind with a sentence and sometimes a souvenir from his victim. Each time, Lola is the personal recipient of the bloody Christmas cards.

“I ‘ear all”

Carnage for Christmas isn’t energetic or brutally horrific, but it’s a modern take with relatable characters and a likable cast.

Carnage for Christmas is rated

3 Jack in the Box out of 5

Keep an eye on Mother of Movies for news on where to watch Carnage for Christmas.