Fatman

Chris Cringle a.k.a. Santa Claus, as played by screen icon Mel Gibson, is not really "fat" as the title would imply, but Mel makes the character a badass. However, Chris has incurred the wrath of a thoroughly repugnant devil-child. Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield) is a rich 12 year old child whose nasty actions have motivated Chris to gift the kid with a lump of coal. But the kid retaliates by calling upon his favorite hitman (the great character actor Walton Goggins), and hiring him to assassinate Chris!

"Fatman" was, for this viewer, an ingeniously twisted little tale that works hard to be edgy, and delivers some good dark comedy. Of course, it's far from being for all tastes, especially as we see that Billy is ready and willing to torture a schoolmate when she wins a science fair first prize that he feels should have been his. Fairly grim (but not overwhelmingly so), and very violent, the film also delivers some unexpected poignancy as Chris bemoans the state of the world today - and the bad attitudes of its children. Chris himself has fallen on such hard times that he enters into a temporary partnership with the U. S. military, where the elves will be making product other than toys.

Mel is in fine form, and he and the wonderful Marianne Jean-Baptiste make for a rather endearing Mr. And Mrs. Claus. Goggins is superb as the icy-cold, super-efficient hired killer who has his own reasons for wanting to bump off St. Nick. (One amusing character trait is that "Skinny Man"s' pet of choice is a hamster.) Young Hurstfield is very, very good at creating a child character so despicable that you hate him from the word go.

In general, whatever problems the movie has are made up for by the entertaining story that provides an off-the-beaten path experience for those viewers who may be tired of "feel good" fare.

Eight out of 10.

Just funny enough not to be too grim or dark, but just straight enough to be tense, and ever so slightly surreal. Acting is pretty good, and the story is a darker version of the normal holiday fare. I found it thoroughly watchable, and really enjoyed the ending.

Every Santa Claus movie I have seen is a pretty faithful take from the traditional story, even Will Ferrell's "Elf." But this Mel Gibson movie breaks all the Santa rules, it is like nothing I have ever seen.

The key plot point is a 12-yr-old boy who is not very nice at all, and when he receives a box of coal for Christmas he steals one of his grandmother's checks and hires a hit man to find Santa and take him out. Yes, assassinate him.

Walton Goggins is a superb actor and he is really good as the hit man. First off it isn't very easy to find where Santa and his workshop are. Once there the carnage starts, but Kris Kringle is a tough old guy.

It is a jolt to your system to see this type of movie about Santa, after watching it I admire what the filmmakers did but overall I can't give it really high marks, just a bit too strange.

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library.

After Kurt Russels more family friendly Santa outing, we get mel Gibson in a more mature Santa outing. Way more mature, though I reckon there are still some lines that are not entirely crossed ... or at least they seem smoothed over. And that is one thing that I really sort of dreaded in this movie. Because while it seems like a mean Santa (Bad Santa, Kill Santa) outing, there are things or lines the movie does not cross. Pulling punches if you want to call it that.

Having said all that, the actors do an amazing job. Walton Goggins for example is quite restraint. While I wasn't sure if that was the right way to go (over the top would have also been an apt or even better choice), his soft and calm demeanor might play more into some other viewers expectations. The jokes are dry, the pace is slow .. there is nothing fancy about this outing and ... re-imagening of the myth that surrounds Santa Clause. Not more apparent than in the commercial aspect and contracts Santa is obeying by ... While I imagined this to be way more fun, it still can entertain, if you let it

I can't believe this movie exists. It's high production, actors are good. Many may say the story is stupid and too straight forwards...but this is a movie, that could've been made in the 80's. People who grew up with movies which don't take themself too serious like "Commando" for example really miss such movies. And i'am not talking about cheaply made C-movies. In the 80's there was an audience for this kind of movies and that's why they were highly quality produced. It's about the fun. And i had fun watching this movie. It's just this kind of flick you tell your friends about "Hey have you seen this crazy movie where Mel Gibson as Santa Clause saves christmas with guns?" And of course they answer with no. And then you tell them: "Well, buckle up, kiddo. You're in for a good time, get the whiskey!".

Nothing more to add. We need more films like that,