Caesar and Otto’s Deadly Xmas (2012) by Dave Campbell

Director: Dave Campbell

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Alternate Titles: Caesar and Otto in the Spawn of Satan

Genre: Slasher; Horror/Comedy

Plot:

Desperate to impress a new girlfriend, the bumbling friends decide to take on a job with a company doing in-person Santa appearances, but when their actions line up with a Santa Claus killer going around killing their friends they must find a reason for the killings and stop them from continuing.

Review:

This is a decidedly difficult one to get a hold of. That comes from the overwhelmingly difficult approach to comedy that flows through here, with pretty much everything being so tied into a personal preference for their type of antics it will make or break the film completely. The comedic misunderstandings, the physical slapstick interactions that take place between the two main characters, the general sense of stupidity that every person displays that remains a prominent part of the chemistry featured here, and even the slashing setpieces featured are all based on a silly sense of humor that not all will enjoy. Those that find these juvenile beatings and quips enjoyable will have plenty to like here while those that find these excruciatingly stupid will be so turned off that nothing else really matters with this one.

That’s a bit of a problem where the main setup here could’ve been fun had the comedy not been so controversial. The Santa-dressed stalker going around on a killing spree trying to frame the two for his crimes as revenge for the missed holiday dinner program that the victims never showed up to is a fantastic starting point for a rather intriguing storyline. The ensuing chaos that takes place as the rampage takes out so many people and the way it builds to a frantic finale involving a Satanic cult, human sacrifices, and tons of twists make for a generally wild time as everything carries out at a silly tone, leaving everything to be a distinct matter of taste.

Overview: **.5/5

A mixed bag of a cheesy indie slasher, this one is pretty much dependent on a personal preference for the type of material present which renders this a pretty one-note film. Those with an interest in this type of comedy or are curious about it due to its holiday horror status will have plenty to like here while most others turned off by these factors should heed caution.