Fatman (2020)

Fatman (2020)

 

3/10

Starring

Mel Gibson

Walton Goggins

Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms

What’s the point of making Santa (Mel Gibson, whose character in this movie is Chris) collaborate with the government to exploit its citizens when that storyline isn’t even developed?

I felt like this movie was a complete waste of my time. It seemed to be filled with so much potential, offering various directions it could have taken, especially in terms of comedy. But instead, it got bogged down in what I can only assume was an overreliance on the cast to carry a half-baked script. Most of the comedy misses the mark, and the only thing the director managed to accomplish was maintaining a consistent pace of boredom from start to finish.

The acting itself wasn’t bad—all the actors delivered solid performances. But what a waste of talent on a script that does nothing for them.

The film neglects potentially powerful subplots in favor of focusing on a young boy and a ludicrously obsessed character who wants to kill Santa for not giving them the gifts they wanted. By the time it was over, I couldn’t help but think about all the missed opportunities. It would have been interesting to see Santa making toys or showcasing his ability to travel around the world in one night. Instead, we’re stuck with a storyline where a man hunts Santa with a gun, and because this is supposed to be a dark comedy, Santa isn’t a nice guy either—he uses a gun to defend himself.

The movie introduces us to two sets of characters: Chris (Santa) and his wife, Ruth, and on the other side, Billy and Jonathan. Billy is a spoiled kid who’s used to always getting his way, and the movie goes to great lengths to show just how entitled he is. Jonathan, on the other hand, is a hired killer and an adult who’s obsessed with hunting Santa because he once received a lump of coal as a Christmas gift.

Chris, meanwhile, is dealing with issues of his own. He’s at odds with the government due to the increasing number of bad children in the world, which has forced him to give out more lumps of coal than presents. The government pressures him to divert his resources into a new business venture for them. While Chris and Ruth are contemplating this, Christmas rolls around, and Billy receives a lump of coal. Outraged, Billy hires Jonathan to find and kill Santa.

It’s frustrating to see how much this movie cost to make ($20 million) only to end up as a nonsensical mess with minimal entertainment value. The only redeeming quality is that it’s short, but even that can’t save it. I wouldn’t recommend anyone waste their time on this.