thefensk

That most American audiences don't quite get Australian humor is not surprising, but what is amazing is the fact that a major network put this on in the US in prime time. Gutsy move.

Fans of Upper Middle Bogan and A Very Moody Christmas/The Moodys (Aussie version) will enjoy this romp. Nobody does dysfunctional families quite like our Australian cousins. It's fairly formulaic, but most Christmas movies are. It is the wacky characterizations that make these shows memorable. I already mentioned A Very Moody Christmas ... this film is very similar to that series. An exuberant family guided by love despite their diverse personalities. I love the southern hemisphere Christmas aspects too ... it's full-on Summer there during Christmastime.

On the pro side, it was plenty creepy, especially Cage but he played it a bit too much like Pennywise. I kept expecting him to say, "They float" ... but his personification and make up were superb.

On the con side, overall the story was just too disjointed, and the twist was broadcast about 2/3 of the way in. I mentioned Pennywise ... I think that connection came from the opening sequence which seemed very derivative of "It." Don't get me wrong, there were bright spots which is ironic because visually the entire film was literally dark. Cage indeed gives us a deliciously twisted antagonist and I fully expect him to reprise the role at some point. Hopefully the plot will be more cohesive than this.