Macabre…ish Horror Review: The Advent Calendar

Le Calendrier aka The Advent Calendar, 2021/ 1 hr 45 min

Eva Roussel (Eugénie Derouand) is a former dancer and current paraplegic woman with an normal life. She has a shrew of a step mother, her Dad has Alzheimer’s, she has a dick for a boss and good friends. On her birthday, a friend gives her an antique German, advent calendar. One the back of it, inscribed is ‘Dump it, I will kill you.”

She opens the first and there’s chocolate, in the wrapper it says, “Rule 1, This calendar contains candy, if you eat one, you must eat them all. Or I’ll kill you. Rule 2, Respect all rules until the last door is opened. Or I’ll kill you. Rule 3, dump it. And I’ll kill you.” Eva asks the question, “Who is I?”

She is quickly opening doors and as she does, a monster grows. The calendar unexpectedly speaks and so Eva opens another door. And somehow the ‘gifts’ are getting more and more personal. As if it were made just for her.

Later, she goes on a double date with her friend and her date, a day trader, turns out to be a literal rapist and he gets his comeuppance when she curses him after being dumped in the road. The monster stirs and the calendar opens…the day trader doesn’t survive the night.

And everyday when it’s time to open another door in the calendar, it speaks and a little man pops out of the top. A strange mix of really good and really bad things have happened since she got the calendar. It would seem that everyone who mistreats Eva dies. Meanwhile, things she wants, also happens. But it gets darker and creepier as the movie goes on.

The calendar demands sacrifice and if a request is made, there is an offering or sacrifice. The bigger the request, the bigger the sacrifice. But if Eva doesn’t play this game and finish the calendar, she will be sacrificed. Follow the rules or die.

This calendar has secrets and she finds them all out before the 24 days are up. Turns out, even the blessings are terrible.

This is a French Christmas horror! It is very well made. Good cinematography, pacing, physical effects and story. There are some graphic, triggering and gory moments but most of it felt like a good thriller, it’s no gore fest. Aside from the sexual assault, there’s a sad dog death, so trigger warning. There’s also some nudity and adult scenes. This movie both flew by and seemed like it was much longer than it was. It was good, I enjoyed it!