‘Tis the season for children to be on their best behavior, so Santa Claus can properly declare whether they belong to the nice or naughty list. The sixth day of Creepmas spotlights a handful of naughty children in holiday horror movies that deserve a lump of coal in their stockings, at the very least.
These horror movies feature kids so ruthless that they draw audience ire and wishes for Krampus to come take them away. The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 6 holiday horror movies that put vicious children at the forefront of the terror.
Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.
Krampus
When Max’s (Emjay Anthony) dysfunctional family won’t stop fighting and nothing goes as planned, he turns his back on Christmas and accidentally summons Krampus. All hell breaks loose as Krampus and his horde of minions punish Max and his family, in Michael Dougherty’s fan favorite holiday horror movie. Technically, almost the entire family belongs on the naughty list as their constant bickering and bullying is what inspires Max to unwittingly summon Krampus in the first place. But Krampus’ reign of terror inspires Max to see the error of his ways, making the children of Krampus the nicest among the naughty list.
Silent Night
For the most part, writer/director Camille Griffin’s feature debut, Silent Night, plays like many comedies set around holiday gatherings. It features typical awkwardness that comes from a large makeshift family coming together during one of the most stressful times of the year, attempting to cast aside grudges, secrets, or bad manners for the sake of yuletide cheer. But it becomes clear there’s something quite sinister bubbling beneath the surface of forced merriment, and Griffin’s debut slowly evolves into a harrowing horror story rife with tragedy. It’s a rare instance where the misbehaving children, particularly Art (Roman Griffin Davis) and Kitty (Davida McKenzie), earn their rebellious behavior with the reveal of the horror element. It’s an even rarer instance where these naughty children are ultimately undeserving of their holiday punishment.
The Sacrifice Game
Three days before Christmas in 1971, the remaining students of Blackvale, a Catholic boarding school for girls, depart for the holidays. Circumstances leave teens Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) stuck at school with chaperones, but their attempts to make a cozy holiday get derailed with the arrival of a murderous cult. The Sacrifice Game may be a holiday ruiner for many of its characters, but for audiences, it’s a holiday horror treat. Jenn Wexler’s sophomore feature takes viewers on a journey with the sweet Samantha and peculiar Clara. One of the girls eventually reveals herself to be quite the evil puppetmaster. In Wexler’s hands, that’s a good thing; The Sacrifice Game features a rare instance where you’re rooting for evil (and friendship) to win.
The Children
Children have a penchant for creepiness in horror, and The Children ranks high among the killer kid subgenre. An isolated family and friend gathering over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday winds up pitting children against parents when a gruesome virus breaks out. If you think the holiday setting means tamer kills, you’d be wrong; these children are malicious little killers. To be fair, it’s not their fault. Still, steer clear because these kids get ultra-violent and find inventive ways to get lethal with everyday items.
Better Watch Out
This title is for those that like their holiday horror full of pitch-black humor and one nasty mean streak. A babysitting job in the quiet suburbs turns into a harrowing night for the babysitter when her ward’s house is under siege by intruders. There’s far more than meets the eye in this twist on home-invasion horror, and it’s vicious. A bone-chilling pre-teen villain and one brutal kill that riffs on a family holiday favorite make this a memorable and crowd-pleasing pick. But expect this horror villain to induce rage like few others.
The Lodge
Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s follow-up to Goodnight Mommy carries over the theme of children misbehaving. A family trip to the remote family lodge for Christmas becomes a harrowing voyage into potential madness when soon-to-be stepmom Grace (Riley Keough) is left alone to take care of step-children Aidan (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh). When the children seem to be making peace with Grace, a blizzard knocks the power out, trapping them all with Grace’s dark past. Moody and atmospheric, The Lodge is bleak horror. Nothing about this holiday horror movie is merry or bright, largely thanks to its young leads.
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