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Fatman
2020 100 min United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada R 18+
★5.6
Action, Fantasy, Comedy
Director: Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms
Trailers
Description
A rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus is fighting to save his declining business. Meanwhile, Billy, a neglected and precocious 12 year old, hires a hit man to kill Santa after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.
Budget:
$20M
US Gross:
$278,378
Worldwide:
$1.65M
Starring
Mel Gibson
Actor
Walton Goggins
Actor
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 2 nominations total
Key opinion
Fatman is a grim, unconventional take on the Santa Claus myth that attempts to blend dark comedy with thriller elements. While the film’s unique premise and Mel Gibson's weary performance attract some genre-seeking viewers, it is widely criticized for its aimless pacing and underdeveloped narrative.
| Acting | Mel Gibson provides a compelling, grounded performance as a cynical, grizzled version of Santa Claus. | |
| Acting | Walton Goggins delivers a standout portrayal of a ruthless hitman, providing the film with its most focused and effective character arc. | |
| Originality | The premise—a vengeful child hiring a killer to murder Santa—is conceptually intriguing but fails to translate into a coherent or satisfying plot. | |
| Pacing | The film suffers from a lethargic and uneven pace, with many viewers noting that real action is scarce until the final act. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed as unfocused, with disconnected subplots and poorly explained character motivations that leave the story feeling incomplete. | |
| Theme | Opinions on the film's tonal blend are divided; some appreciate the dark, meta-satirical deconstruction of Christmas tropes, while others find the clash between grim thriller and holiday fantasy jarring and ineffective. |