The Advent Calendar Is Essential Holiday Horror Viewing

The Advent Calendar is the proper film to observe in December—for those who’re the form of individual who doesn’t thoughts a number of buckets of blood added to their healthful vacation traditions. Excellently plotted and acted, with stress that builds to near-unbearable heights, it’s a must-watch for horror followers.

When we first meet Eva (Eugénie Derouand), she’s mired in a spot of everlasting darkness. A former celebrity dancer, she’s been utilizing a wheelchair for the previous three years after being paralyzed from the waist down in a automotive accident. That could be troublesome sufficient, even when she didn’t should take care of being overtly condescended to by her boss (who calls her a “half-chick on wheels”) and her merciless stepmother, or continuously endure pitying seems to be from random strangers. She’s younger and exquisite however lives a decidedly lonely life. Her one good friend, Sophie (Honorine Magnier)—who strays into “frenemy” turf as we get to know her higher—offers her a novel birthday present on December 3: an vintage introduction calendar pilfered from a Christmas market in Munich. Like a Gremlin, this calendar comes with strict guidelines (considered one of them is “respect the rules”)—and if disobeyed, it warns, “I’ll kill you.”

The girls shrug it off, however there’s heft added because of a scene that takes place on the very starting of The Advent Calendar: a flash-forward of Eva talking to the digital camera, warning whoever’s watching to “follow the rules or you’ll die.” And, wait… is she standing and strolling? Who, precisely, the “I” is in “I’ll kill you” is considered one of The Advent Calendar’s central mysteries—we do get to satisfy them, although we don’t actually, uh, be taught what their deal is—however writer-director Patrick Ridremont properly directs the film’s consideration’s elsewhere, specializing in Eva’s psychological state as her world turns into an increasing number of surreal.

Each day, Eva opens a brand new door on the calendar; there’s a bit of sweet to eat (which she should do—it’s one of many guidelines!) adopted by a rush of pleasure and/or dread to see what unusual marvel or nightmare will current itself within the aftermath. Sometimes it’s a miracle, as when her father briefly breaks out of his fog of dementia. Sometimes it’s complicated, and Eva begins to marvel if perhaps the sweet is laced with hallucinogenic medicine. Sometimes it’s flat-out terrible, as when the calendar begins bringing doom upon these near her—or manipulating her into doing unimaginable issues. (Sometimes these individuals deserve what they get, making The Advent Calendar’s ethical compass much more splendidly diabolical.)

Thanks to Derouand’s intense efficiency, we take the trip proper alongside Eva, and the hanging artwork course and lighting imply the film—which unfolds largely in unremarkable, on a regular basis settings—has ambiance to spare. (The picket folk-art calendar itself is equal elements attractive and eerie as hell.) The ticking-clock construction as the times rely down means The Advent Calendar turns into relentlessly tense because it progresses however there’s a specific amount of sweetness sprinkled all through that offsets the calendar’s grim calls for. It additionally makes you perceive why Eva feels so pissed off on the finish of December, when she’s finished opening all these maddening little doorways and is then pressured to make a Twilight Zone-ish selection between two equally. The ending might frustrate anybody who calls for their presents come wrapped in a tidy bow—however it feels fiendishly true to a film that’s finally about attempting to barter what you need with what you possibly can reside with.

The Advent Calendar arrives December 2 on Shudder.

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