Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Starring: Per Christian Ellefsen, Onni Tommila, Peeter Jakobi
Director: Jalmari Helander
Rating: 3 (out of 5)

Summary: In the depths of the Korvanturi Mountains, 486 metres deep, lies the closest guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up! This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus...

Rare Exports is one of those films that defies a simple conversational description. It's unlike any Christmas film you've seen before and most likely will again, and leaves you slightly befuddled. I mean, what can you say about a film that includes a chase scene between a 10 year old holding on to helicopter and 200 naked octogenarians?

Something that is obvious amongst all the snowbound mayhem is Exports subversive and successful depiction of the Santa Claus mythology. Depicting him as a child hoarding demon buried deep within an almost fairytale mountain, the screenwriters aren't slaves to Santa convention and even add a late in the game twist that reinvigours the film in the last half hour. The "rules" surrounding this back story mean the film makers can add quirky touches, such as radiators and the stolen hairdryers of the local ladies being used to thaw out the bearded anti-hero, giving the audience appropriate and timely laughs amongst the fearful hushed whispers of the villagers on screen.

Also adding gravitas to proceedings are the cast of child actors, especially Onni Tommila as Santa fearing Pietari. They all give fantastic, comically sweet turns as industrious heroes and sobbing victims alike. Taking arms, disobeying the rules and coming of age in a hostile environment, they're the resourceful, brave kids you remember from the films of yesteryear.

When striped to the core and exposed, at it's very heart its the tale of childhood innocence winning out over the adult cynicism - just as every Christmas movie should be - but this central theme is unable to develop fully under the weight of the unusual pacing, changes in tone and the director's inability to settle on a theme and stick. To use a Christmas metaphor (it is December after all) the chaos of what's up on screen is akin to receiving a Michael McIntyre DVD for a present - not as funny and clever as it thinks it is or needs to be.

There are also no stand out, stocking dropping moments. Of course its unusual, strange and twisted but it's lack of subtlety from beginning to end, coupled with a number of undercooked central characters - usually the adults - mean that you never really feel anything above the occasional smirk and mild interest in how the story will pan out for those involved.

Rare by name, rare by nature. Exports is a mish mash of horror, comedy, adventure, coming of age tale and Christmas flick that's enthused with a typical Scandinavian dark quirkiness but ultimately fails to wrap them into a anything other than a wannabe cult movie package.

OUT 3rd December