The Advent Calender (2021) - Movie Review
What if I told you there was a Christmas film that had the spirit of the French Extreme movement?
What if I told you that it not only pays homage, but improves on the formula of my favorite sub-genre?
Let’s discuss.
The Advent Calendar is a 2021 Christmas Horror film brought to us by actor/writer/director Patrick Ridremont. Ridremont is best known as an actor and voice actor, having appeared in critically acclaimed projects such as 2010’s A Cat in Paris and the well-regarded 2017 television series, Unit 42. His directing CV is limited, but he has yet to have a film score lower than 6 out of 10 on IMDb. That might not sound all that great, but most horror directors don’t sniff above 5/10 in their career.
The film focuses on Eva, a young woman who lives purely on the short end of the stick. She was a successful and lauded Ballerina before the accident took her legs away from her. She can’t remember what happened, other than the terror and the pain of that night. It’s all a blank. Being confined to a wheelchair, she’s ostracized at work and in her personal life. To add insult to injury, her beloved father was taken from her by the cruel powers of Alzheimer’s disease, being little more than a vegetable at a time when she wanted nothing more than to lean on his shoulder. Her father’s second wife makes things even worse by isolating her father and not allowing Eva to see him or speak to him. Eva is alone in the world except for Sophie, the one person who stuck by her. When Sophie gifts Eva an antique Advent calendar for her birthday, it triggers a cascade of brutal consequences that quickly spiral out of control. Will Eva figure out how to overcome the calendar’s bloody game, or will she drown in the tides of a red Christmas? Find out in tonight’s feature, The Advent Calendar.
Before we begin, Disclaimer:
I love French horror. I’m biased towards French filmmakers, especially the French Extreme movement of the 2010s.
That being said, this film takes the formula perfected by Pascal Laugier, Xavier Gens, and Alexandre Aja and tones down the gore. You’d think that would lessen the brutality, but instead it amplifies the emotional impact of the violence that mostly goes unseen. That’s not to say this film isn’t gory, far from it. The gore that is shown is shocking and impactful.
But it wouldn’t work without the amazing actors involved.
Eugenie Derouand is a revelation.
You can really tell how much Eugenie put into the role. As an abled person, playing a paraplegic isn’t as easy as folks make it out to be. Having spent time with friends and family who are disabled, there are a lot of little things films get wrong and even more things actors miss. Eugenie not only got some of the little ticks and mannerisms that develop when one goes from being able to walk to being confined to a wheelchair. She doesn’t do many movements, if any, of her midsection, no sit-ups without pushing or pulling herself. Her arms are toned in the way folks with manual wheelchairs are. It’s a respectful and honest depiction of the struggles of handicapped people in Europe
For those who didn’t know: Europe doesn’t provide many accommodations for handicapped people as we have in the US.
France’s disability laws didn’t go into effect until the mid-2000s and are really a superficial hand wave at real issues that went unaddressed. The laws encourage ramps and other accessibility upgrades to businesses, but the law has no teeth and is rarely enforced. Companies are forced to employ handicapped people, but those people are often bullied or given lesser roles. It’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough, and for the uninformed, the first thirty minutes of the film may not make sense to Americans.
However, once you recognize this reality, it makes it even more brutal. The script is fantastic in setting up Eva’s lonely world, where everyone acts like she’s useless and a burden. The poor girl had her entire life taken away from her, at no fault of her own, and everyone acts like she’s a screw-up.
Much like a Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, once you understand her plight, you begin to root for her… and the violence.
It’s not perfect, and the script has a lot of holes throughout, but it closes everything up with a beautiful bow. All of the characters are established, fleshed out, and fully formed. Even small roles feel big, as you can tell the actors put in the effort. Every single performer gave their best.
The film was obviously limited in budget. The limited special effects, at times, can come off as cheap. However, the overall dreamlike setting of Eva’s trials makes it more acceptable, and honestly, I didn’t notice until a second viewing.
This movie is It’s a Wonderful Life meets Hellraiser.
I found myself exclaiming, “I fucking love this,” halfway through the film. The originality, the risks taken, and the ambiguous ending all tied together to make me want to watch it again and again. This film has joined Santa’s Slay, Rare Exports, and A Christmas Horror Story on my normal Christmas film rotation. That is the highest praise I can give a movie.
Does that mean it’s a perfect film?
No. It has flaws, but I was so amazed by the filmmaking on display, seeing actors with their real teeth, and the fact that the movie takes every risk possible. Everyone involved should be proud.
Watch this movie!
The Advent Calendar is streaming exclusively on Shudder/AMC+.
Please support this film.
I’ll be buying a physical copy.
