When people ask me what my favorite movie is – which happens a lot in this field – my proud response is always It’s a Wonderful Life. They often follow up with “The Christmas movie?” and I nod, then give my long explanation of why it is so much more than a Christmas movie. It’s a film I’ve seen countless times, and it still hits the same way in every instance. So, when I found out there was a new Christmas horror movie called It’s a Wonderful Knife, I knew I would need to watch it.
The premise of director Tyler MacIntyre’s film is clever. Those familiar with the plot of Frank Capra’s masterpiece will immediately begin to see some parallels. Justin Long is the town’s mayor, with ambitions to “help” everyone there by buying up their property. We witness a murder on Christmas Eve of one of the last holdouts by a man in a white robe and mask. That same killer goes after that man’s daughter, and then Winnie Carruthers’ (Jane Widdop -, who kills the killer – revealing it to be the mayor). That’s how this film starts! A year later, Winnie’s life is less than wonderful, and she wishes she’d never been born. She finds herself in a parallel universe where the killer has been running wild for the last year, and everything is much, much worse.
Long is known for doing some quirky characters in his filmography, and his portrayal of the villain in this one is up there. However, his odd mannerisms and knowledge that he is the man in the mask make him quite the menacing figure. The performance works and helps establish the comedic tone that supports those funny elements present throughout the film.
While Long’s villain is engaging, it is the movie’s core duo that makes it so enjoyable. Widdop has great chemistry with Jess McLeod, who plays Bernie (a.k.a. “Weirdo”), who becomes an unexpected ally in the nightmare universe. There are so many great moments that take place with the two of them while watching this film. Their bonding throughout the movie pulled me in and made me care about the outcome. They have the opportunity to become big-time actresses, and this film shows their capability.
Of course, this film has to reference specific moments from the source material it pulls from if the title is to make sense. Clearly, the plot is a direct parallel – but there are many little things that also work to achieve this. The names are changed, though they somehow feel the same. At one point, the film even directly references the existence of It’s A Wonderful Life in the world of the movie, making it self-aware. Yet, the reason it works is because it feels like it is being done out of love. If it were mocking a film made by a filmmaker known for saccharin storytelling to the point that it had the nickname Capra-corn, then this may not have resonated with me. In fact, this film may even get that complaint from some after it finishes.
While a few elements feel slightly undercooked – likely to keep the runtime down – It’s A Wonderful Knife is an entertaining film with an appreciation for one of the classics. The performances in the film are solid, and horror films like this deserve some love.
It’s a Wonderful Knife will be in Theaters on November 10.
Rating: Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy
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