Fatman is a holiday action movie about Chris Cringle aka Santa Claus aka The Fatman(Mel Gibson) who finds his government subsidies diminishing as more and more children are getting coal, in order to keep his factory afloat he's forced to take on a military contract in the off season. During this financial crisis a psychopathic child who, justly, received coal hires a hitman(Walton Goggins) to go after King Christmas himself.
Gibson, who's reputation and rehabilitation over the past decade are questionable and may be a barrier of entry for some viewers, setting his personal life aside though, he's wonderful here as world-weary, embittered, tough as shoe-leather Santa. It's a bizarre character, in an even weirder story, but it works. Gibson's able to channel those two talents which made him a star initially- his facility with action and his humor. And although he and Goggins only share a single scene together it is an absolutely electric confrontation. Goggins, as always, is deliciously textured and idiosyncratic and though the heavy is a well he's gone to many times over the past couple years, the uniqueness of the story and the odd character keep it fresh. Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Ruth Cringle is great opposite Gibson and bolsters the precarious tonal harmony.
A focused particular production balance the two discordant tones- action/thriller and holiday adventure- better than it has any right to. The premise of the plot sounds kind of ridiculous but the narrative and the characters are shockingly well drawn. It's this peculiar amalgam of Fargo and The Santa Clause anchored by the commitment and sincerity of Gibson, Jean-Baptiste and Goggins, it provides humor, action, and if not catharsis then characters with real emotion.
Substantial fun and surprising thrills for this strange genre mash-up.
Currently available for rent on most VOD platforms.
See It.
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