Snow, Secrets, and a Masked Menace in the Dark

MOVIE REVIEW
The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge
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Genre: Horror, Thriller
Year Released: 2024
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director(s): Jake Helgren
Writer(s): Jake Helgren
Cast: Skye Coyne, Colin Koth, Kim Whalen, Liz Fenning, Adam Bucci
Where to Watch: on digital now from Miracle Media

RAVING REVIEW: THE NAUGHTY LIST OF MR. SCROOGE begins with something that works immediately: a group of former college friends gathering for a holiday reunion in a remote chalet, only to find themselves stalked by someone dressed as an (very) unnerving version of Ebenezer Scrooge. It’s a straightforward setup, but the film leans into its seasonal hook with enough confidence to stand apart from the usual Christmas horror offerings. The snowy, isolated setting lends the story a natural sense of unease before the violence even begins, and the film wastes no time turning those early hints of tension into something.

The core cast settles comfortably into the kind of strained dynamic that works well for a reunion built around unresolved history. These characters are not returning as the people they once were, and the strain between them becomes one of the film’s best aspects. Skye Coyne gives the story a core that is surprisingly built on emotion, grounding her performance in equal parts nostalgia and frustration. Her character feels like someone trying to reconnect while keeping certain truths buried, and that conflict plays well once the threats begin closing in.

Another thing the film does well is maintain a brisk energy. At ninety minutes, it avoids lingering too long on setup or exposition. The script focuses on the dynamic between the friends while slowly tightening the noose around them. It works because the tension grows naturally; conversations shift from memories to uneasy confessions before erupting into fear. The chalet setting compounds the sense of being trapped, and the film effectively utilizes that limitation without feeling repetitive.

The killer’s Scrooge costume is memorable in concept, even if it doesn’t always land with the intended sincerity. The mask is eerie enough in silhouette, and the contrast between holiday iconography and brutality gives the character an identity beyond the typical masked slasher. Where the design struggles is that it sometimes borders on theatrical rather than terrifying, but the film compensates with the way it stages its attacks. The tension depends less on the look of the villain and more on the proximity of danger—Scrooge appearing just long enough to unsettle before disappearing into the darkness or the maze-like layout of the chalet.

The story incorporates the tragedy that occurred during the group’s production of A Christmas Carol years earlier, slowly revealing the event that fractured them. This gives the film more narrative cohesion, even if the payoff isn’t as sharp as the setup implies. It’s clear that this past incident shaped each character differently, and the film uses that shared trauma to create conflict without ever fully redeeming or condemning any single person. That moral ambiguity helps elevate the group dynamic, making the reunion feel less like a setup and more like the inevitable return of something none of them resolved.

As the bodies begin to fall, the film moves through its slasher structure. The kills rely more on tension and proximity than elaborate gore, and that restraint works with the film’s more grounded tone. Instead of leaning on spectacle, the horror comes from the claustrophobic setting and the unraveling trust between the survivors. Conversations turn into accusations, alliances form and break, and the group is forced to confront truths they avoided for far too long.

Where the film stumbles is in its final act. The reveal behind the Scrooge figure lacks the impact it needs to tie the story together. Motivations feel thin, not because the idea itself doesn’t work, but because the script rushes through the explanation. After spending so much time building tension around the group’s shared past, the film’s climax should land with more force. Instead, it passes quickly, leaving a sense that something deeper was within reach. The killer’s reasoning feels surface-level, which weakens the emotional payoff compared to the strong setup.

Jake Helgren’s direction brings a sense of cohesion to the holiday-horror blend. The snowy landscapes, warm interior lighting, and festive decorations create a deceptive sense of comfort that effectively clashes with the terror unfolding inside. It’s a style that leans into its theme without becoming parody, allowing the film to embrace its holiday backdrop without losing its momentum.

THE NAUGHTY LIST OF MR. SCROOGE won’t redefine the seasonal slasher, but it embraces the genre with enough charm and tension to earn its place as a holiday-horror option worth tossing into the rotation. Its strongest moments lie in the messy relationships between its characters, the uneasy atmosphere of the winter retreat, and the steady rise in paranoia as the group realizes someone has twisted their shared past into a deadly vendetta. While the ending doesn’t match the strength of the buildup, the film as a whole still delivers a fun, fast, and engaging slice of Christmas carnage.

It’s the kind of movie that works best for audiences who enjoy holiday slashers that aren’t afraid to embrace their premise without drifting into full camp. THE NAUGHTY LIST OF MR. SCROOGE never tries to become more than a tight, seasonal thriller, and that self-awareness is what ultimately makes it succeed more often than it falters.

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[photo courtesy of MIRACLE MEDIA]

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