Review: Rare Exports

Dir. Jalmari Helander (2010)

The following review contains minor spoilers.

Rare Exports is exactly the heartwarming tale of a boy learning about the selfless joy of giving, the warmth of family, and the importance of friendship that you expect a Christmas movie to be. It’s the story of a man relearning how to be a father after the passing of his wife. It’s the story of loss and heartbreak, when their yearly crop yields far less than it should have. It’s also a no holds barred tale of childhood terror featuring graphic violence and a flock of fully nude old men running through the woods. Merry Christmas indeed.

The film is a bit of a tease, it starts innocently enough. Childhood holiday shenanigans a la A Christmas Story abound, but then it veers into straight up horror territory. Just when the movie’s about to get really nuts, it reigns it in for a heartwarming, eggnog fueled Christmas style finale! It’s an odd little movie that never really fits together tonally, but that’s also part of it’s charm. The film treats the holiday as more of a dire tiding than a treat. The rituals, cookies, trees, lights, and presents...all sting of painful memories for both father and son. The niceties, in the face of their near financial ruin, are reminders of what they don’t have. And, to cap it off, there is a true primitive evil awakening, stalking. It’s not a season of joy. Yet the childlike spirit of wonder, of magic, and charity win out in the end. It’s a movie that faces up to the harsh feelings that sometimes accompany the Christmas season, acknowledges them, and then chooses to have a magical time regardless.

Rare Exports is a rare package indeed. It’s too violent and coarse for the children who would appreciate the enchanting yet nonsensical ending. It’s too restrained for horror buffs looking for a blood soaked stocking above the mantle. Who exactly is this movie for? If you’re the kind of person who has difficulty choosing between re-watching Lilo and Stitch or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on a snowy Friday night, then you might be the blend of audience Rare Exports is targeting.

-Josh Evans