Of all the movies I have watched for this series, this Finnish production is the best of the lot. It is a terrific and creative movie. In the Korvatunturi Mountains two young boys spy on an excavation mission to locate the grave of Santa Claus. Pietari is concerned by this, as he still believes in Santa Claus. But he finds books in the attic telling the truth about Santa Claus. Santa and the Krampus are the same myth. Santa is not a perversion of sainthood here, but rather, a strange and frightening creature, long buried in the mountains. The excavation is a plan to raid the tomb of Santa.
This of course goes wrong and Pietari and his father find themselves menaced by something from the mountain. Especially frightening for Pietari is that his friends seem to be disappearing.
The relationship between Pietari and his father is strong (as they are father and son in real life) and effective. The film is full of horror and yet whimsy. The Santa creatures look like old and decrepit men, but they are far more. And the final moments are comical in the most positive way. I really do not want to say more as the film really is a treat. It is the one film in this whole series I recommend without reservation.
Tripping Through Gateways 
Leave a Reply