Reel Review: A Very Flattened Christmas (2024)

The unexpectedly delightful “A Very Flattened Christmas” is a stoner holiday horror comedy that’s as ferociously funny as it is off-the-wall.

2024 has been an atrocious year, and I’m feeling decidedly un-festive. While I may not be eager to embrace the feel-good hope and humanity of It’s a Wonderful Life, I can absolutely get behind an outrageous tongue-in-cheek sendup of holiday horror—especially one as wildly entertaining as A Very Flattened Christmas.

I’ll admit that, at first, I was not picking up what director and co-writer Shane Wallace was putting down with his B-movie Christmas comedy horror parody film. Outside of a fun opening kill scene that sets the stage for what’s to come, it takes a while to find its footing. This is especially true for those unfamiliar with the stoner comedy YouTube series Flattened, which the film is based on. The series was created by A Very Flattened Christmas co-writer and star Key Tawn Toothman.

While the characters and their dynamics will be familiar to fans of the web series, others may struggle at first to connect with these quirky weirdos and ride the off-kilter comedic wave of the film.

However, I’m happy to report that it does, indeed, find its footing in a fun and immensely satisfying way, so you’ll want to stick with it. I slowly became more and more charmed, eagerly embracing the spirit of this endearingly unhinged festive frolic.

At about the thirty-minute mark, when the film leads into the zany antics of obnoxious local celebrity “Dick Puncher” and showcases a trailer for his animated film “Dick Puncher Saves Christmas,” I was ALL in.

Let me back up and set the stage for the ensuing shenanigans.

It’s Christmas time in a small town in Wichita, but it’s far from joyous. Max (Toothman) has just returned to town to attend the funeral of a friend—murdered in the opening sequence under highly suspicious circumstances. He has an altercation with local-boy-turned-multi-millionaire Rick Barnes (Jesse Bailey), a pompous blowhard who can’t help but flaunt his wealth in front of everyone, loudly extolling his own virtues every chance he gets.

Having formerly worked at the roadkill collection company Furry Friends, his old boss, Dale (Mark Mannette), encourages him to attend the annual company holiday party. Max would prefer to be alone, but he reluctantly attends, only to once again clash with the despicable Barnes, an actor and producer mogul whose character “Dick Puncher” has made him a household name.

But Barnes is far from the worst of Max’s worries.

Someone is murdering the Furry Friends staff and anyone associated with the company. After he discovers a gruesome “present” left behind by the killer on the side of the road, the hilarious Detective Bradley (Mark D. Anderson) suspects Max of the murders.

Max points the finger at whacked-out former friend Dan (Trevor Vincent Farney), who seemed to predict the next victim. Bradley tells Max to remain in town while the investigation is underway.

As bodies pile up, there’s a madcap race to find the elusive reindeer-dressed killer before the whole crew gets flattened.

It becomes clear that the killer knows his victims and intentionally targets them for a reason. But who… and why?

Many of the characters are memorable and bonkers in the best possible way, especially Max’s unrequited love interest Maddie (Kaemie McCanless), tough-talking worker Lorribell (Paula Makar), and my favorite, Jerry-Ann (Beckie Jenek).

There’s a high degree of intentional overacting and campy scenery chewing happening. If it’s off-putting at first, it soon becomes endlessly charming when you understand what they’re going for and settle comfortably into the mayhem.

The film’s pacing keeps viewers engaged, buckled in for a wild rollercoaster ride of one weird twist after another. Unlike many horror films, there’s a final reveal and a zany ending you won’t see coming, no matter how good of a detective you think you are.

The finale gets gloriously Lynchian in its absurdity, and I loved every minute of it.

Be sure to stick around for a perfect post-credits coda.

Whether or not you find A Very Flattened Christmas a welcome holiday gift depends on your appreciation for cheesy B-movie silliness.

This film knows its audience and does not attempt to be anything more than a goofy good time. It’s undoubtedly stupid. But that stupidity is in service of hilarity, and it’s a film that keeps getting funnier as it goes along. By the end, I was in stitches.

It’s far from polished. This is quintessential schlocky microbudget fare, made on a dime with a game cast that often feels like they’re leading an improv performance through the ridiculous and sometimes groan-inducing dialogue.

All the dialogue sounds like it was recorded via ADR and sounds a bit wonky. Still, the score and festive musical cues delight and make the film feel more stylish and well-executed than it otherwise might with its budget limitations.

There’s a creative killer, some wonderfully gory sequences, a sleigh full of B-movie charms, and a playful sense of twisted holiday spirit. With its goofball antics, cornball dialogue, and quirky characters, it’s a film that refuses to take itself too seriously—and it’s all the better for it.

If you’d rather get baked than bake cookies, this Christmas comedy slasher is for you!