'Christmas at the Kringles' Review
Release Date: 10/30/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Action. Comedy. Horror.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: Briarcliff Entertainment.
The Verdict: A Mistake
We’ve all got weird neighbors. But what if those same weird neighbors also turned out to be homicidal maniacs? And what if those homicidal maniacs also turned out to be obsessed with Christmas? That’s the simple yet silly premise of the new film Christmas at the Kringles.
The film follows Mark Severson, his wife Julie, and their young son Bobby as they move to a new suburb. While the town is full of characters, the trio gravitates toward a local family known as the Kringles. For the Kringles, every day is Christmas, and not in some cool, Groundhog Day way. Their house, inside and out, is wrapped in holiday decorations year-round. Their wardrobe consists of ugly sweaters and vests. And they treat Santa as a deity. Despite giving off more red flags than a circus, the Seversons keep an open mind because the Kringles are the only other family around with children. But what starts as a casual friendship soon becomes something darker. As the move takes its toll on Mark, Julie becomes more attracted to the Kringles’ happy-go-lucky lifestyle. When Julie and Bobby disappear, Mark enlists the help of some of his other wacky neighbors to traverse the Kringles’ Christmas-themed abode, find his family, and uncover a terrifying truth.
The film features a stacked cast, including Ron Livingston, Rachel Bilson, Thomas Lennon, Donald Faison, and even the iconic Beverly D’Angelo. Unfortunately, that’s the only good thing the film has to offer. Granted, some performances do make the film bearable. Lennon’s villainous turn as the patriarch of the Kringles, Nick, is the best example. Others, such as Faison, feel like they are just there to collect a check. He plays one of Mark’s friendlier neighbors, Daryl, who won’t die but refuses to let any of his fake-outs seem convincing.
Even Kevin Lewis’ direction feels a bit lazy. Despite its R rating, the film feels too scared to show any real violence. The way he builds up to each kill, then cuts away before the audience gets to see any actual brutality, is not only a terrible tease. But it’s such a bizarre choice that it makes his previous film, Willy’s Wonderland, look far superior - despite being just as bad.
A brunt of the blame should be placed on Zack Imbrogno’s script. Between Mark being embroiled in a brazen crypto scheme and the random and unexplained reveal that one of the Kringle’s kids actually has elf ears, the film is marred with nonsensical twists and plot points that will leave you scratching your head until next Halloween.
The bottom line: even in better hands, it’s unclear if Christmas at the Kringles might be anything other than a lump of coal. Yes, the film treads the ever-so-rare holiday-horror sub-genre. And yes, the film features some great character actors and comedians. But the film makes such little sense that continuing to write about it and having you read about it kills the holiday spirit.
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