[6.50/10] Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

Rare Exports:
A Christmas Tale (2010)

Brief review: Set in Finland, "Rare Exports" is about the discovery of the real Santa Claus, only that he is meaner and way more vicious than you could ever imagine. With its thoroughly unique premise, this dark parody succeeds hugely in terms of originality, but unfortunately, its not-fully-developed story and so-so execution make it seem half-baked. Nevertheless, from beginning to the end, "Rare Exports" is an entertaining, vastly enjoyable and often creepy story that explores the dark side of Christmas and Santa Claus. Sadly though, the film is lacking in real scares, as instead it offers plenty of dark humor and some ominous images. The whole cast of unknown Finnish actors give excellent performances. Special mention goes to Onni Tommila as the little Pietari, who portrays fear (in a little kid sort o way) very effectively, plus, his character demonstrates an exuberant imagination and enviable perspicacity. The lack of a sufficient budget has obviously affected the production quality of the movie, as technically, "Rare Exports" doesn't really dazzle with flashy visuals or first-rate special effects. Having said that, the film looks slick enough, as it has interesting direction, decent production values and rather cool cinematography.

Overall summary: Though half-baked and overly short, "Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale" delivers enough fun and thrills to the audience, thanks to its clever concept and hilariously-imaginative script.