Shudder Day: It's a Wonderful Knife (2023)

 What happens if you flip a Holiday Classic into a Horror Film?

You either get Nightmare on 34th Street (real) A Christmas Murder (not real?) or...

The Town of Angel Falls is all but owned by a corrupt businessman named Henry Waters (Justin Long).

He is trying to buy up all of the small businesses, including one owned by The Cigarette Smoking Man.

On Christmas Eve, a masked killer takes out the Smoking Man and then others.

While he's trying to kill Jimmy Caruthers (son of Joel McHale), his Sister stops him.

A year later, she's miserable as nobody wants to talk about everything that happened, even the deaths.

She's depressed and throws a freak out that night.

She goes to a Bridge and wishes that she was never born.

As the pun Title would imply, this actually works.

Like George Bailey, she sees what life would be like without her.

Everyone is sad.
Justin Long is basically a despot.

Oh, and the Killer kept on killing since she wasn't there to stop him.

With a figurative ticking clock (in the form of a magical Aurora Borealis) counting down, can she learn her lesson and return to her old life?

To find out, stream it now.

A fun Film which takes a familiar Plot in some new directions.

A Slasher Film version of It's A Wonderful Life seems like the most and least obvious thing to do.  At worst, you just use the pun Title for the 3,663rd Killer Santa Film.

This is a good use, however, as the Plot mirrors the Classic just enough and still does its own thing.

You get a neat looking killer, who apparently uses the original design for Ghostface's robes.
You get familiar Actors like McHale, Long and Katharine Isabelle.
You get some good, exciting kills that don't linger on the brutality like some other Films.

If you're one of those people offended by the presence of Gay Characters, you are warned.

For everyone else, it is a Film that somehow works as a good Comedy at points, Horror Film at others and a Drama in the time leftover.

It won't replace your Classics, but it is a nice addition.  Just like Henry, you can trust my judgement...

A fun twist on a Christmas Classic.  Time will tell if this one joins those Films in your Holiday rotation.