Christmas at the Kringles (2026) Briarcliff/Comedy-Horror RT: 98 minutes Rated R (some strong bloody violence, language, some sexual material) Director: Kevin Lewis Screenplay: Zack Imbrogno Music: Emoi Cinematography: Brandon Cox Release date: October 30, 2026 (US) Cast: Ron Livingston, Rachel Bilson, Rob Riggle, Thomas Lennon, Arden Myrin, Jack Jewkes, Donald Faison, Beverly D’Angelo, David Wain, Alexis Kemp, Zeke Jones, Elliott Egler, Rhino Michaels.
Rating: *
HO, HO, HOLY CRAP! Is Christmas at the Kringles ever bad!
I felt like I was back in the 2000s as I watched the new holiday-themed comedy-horror from Kevin Lewis (Willy’s Wonderland). It was a decade marked by horrible Christmas movies not destined to be treasured annual favorites- e.g. Surviving Christmas, Christmas with the Kranks, Deck the Halls and Four Christmases. I HATED all of these. I actively avoid them every December as well as the other eleven months of the year. Christmas at the Kringles made the list. It is God awful.
What’s truly sad is that Christmas at the Kringles has the seed of a good idea. Lewis has no idea how to cultivate it. It withers and dies after it barely sprouts. It fails on every level. It’s never funny, not even once. It doesn’t lean into bloody horror nearly enough. It doesn’t work as satire either. It has nothing to say about anything. It’s as empty-headed as it is non-committal.
Talk about nightmare next-door neighbors. The Seversons- distracted Mark (Livingston, Office Space), too-trusting wife Julie (Bilson, The O.C.) and foul-mouthed young son Bobby (Jewkes)- move from the city to the suburbs hoping for a fresh start away from the hustle and bustle. Julie is excited to make new friends while Mark would rather be back in his element. It goes without saying their marriage isn’t in the best place right now.
The Seversons are about to be put to the test. They’ve moved in next door to the Kringles, a clan obsessed with all things Christmas. Their decorations stay up all year round. They dress like denizens of Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. They love to spontaneously sing carols. Even their names- dad Nick (Lennon, Reno 911!), mom Carol (Myrin, Free Bert) and three children named Rudolph (Jones, Ick), Merry (Kemp) and Elf (Egler)- reflect their devotion to their favorite time of year. It’s a shock (and a missed opportunity) that It’s a Wonderful Life doesn’t play on a continuous loop on their TVs.
The Kringles, of course, turn out to be more than just superfans of Christmas. They’re part of a cult looking to spread their version of comfort and joy. Their MO is to draw in new people and indoctrinate them, killing anyone who doesn’t drink the eggnog. It’s a powerful pull that works on everybody but Mark. He realizes something is way off about these people and aims to do something about it. He enlists the help of man-child neighbor Daryl (Faison, Clueless) and a rogue, bad-ass mall Santa (Riggle, The Hangover).
You know a movie is bad when Rob Riggle is the best thing in it. That’s where we find ourselves with Christmas at the Kringles. He’s the only character who isn’t completely annoying. Lewis actually has something with his story arc. Bad Ass Santa initially antagonizes Mark then tries to warn him about his friendly neighbors before teaming up with him. There’s a story to tell about him. I’d like to say there’s an action movie to be made, but that’s already been done with Violent Night (and the sequel opening in December). Sadly, Riggle’s contribution isn’t enough to save this movie. No amount of flexing or ass kicking on his part can save it. The presence of Christmas movie vet Beverly D’Angelo (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Violent Night) as stroke-ridden Mama Kringle doesn’t even help.
In theory, Christmas at the Kringles should be funny. It has lots of broad comedy and goofy characters. None of it works and I mean NONE OF IT. It’s just stupid and not in a Farrelly Brothers way. This movie is absolutely brain dead. That’s fine for some comedies, but it’s self-defeating here. It would have worked better with a sharper edge. Lewis completely misses the opportunity to make a savage statement about the weaponizing of religion and how easily some are brainwashed. Instead, he goes for idiocy. It comes off as clumsy, awkward and heavy-handed. The laughs just aren’t there.
I’m especially disappointed in how Lewis mishandles the horror aspects. If you’re going to do that, you can to completely commit to it. Christmas at the Kringles does not. The trailer promises a blood bath, but the finished product fails to deliver. It has one bloody kill at the beginning and another in the climax. That’s it. Lewis even throws in a “Christmas Gimp” (Michaels, Demolition Man) only to not use him to full potential. Also, when I see a chainsaw, I want a whole lot of spurt and splatter with it. You won’t find that here.
Need I even bother discussing the acting? I’m not a particular fan of any of these people except maybe for D’Angelo, but this is far from her finest work. It’s more of a career nadir. It makes her work in the wretched Vacation reboot look stellar which it most definitely is not. So what can I say about the other performances in Christmas at the Kringles? I assume they’re all in the joke since all of them look equally self-conscious. They try too hard and end up falling flat on their faces. Everybody involved (cast and crew alike) ought to be put on the naughty list.
I saw Christmas at the Kringles at an AMC Screen Unseen event. It was immediately preceded by an intro featuring the director and a few cast members telling us how funny it is and how much fun they had making it. The studio calls it promotion. I call it overselling. It’s not funny and it’s definitely no fun. It’s painful is what it is. It’s the cinematic equivalent to Santa putting reindeer droppings in your stocking. What’s worse, I have a horrible feeling it’s going to seen as a misunderstood classic twenty years from now.
