Sarah Alexandra Marks
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Nov 1, 2022 · The Killing Tree: Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield. With Sarah Alexandra Marks, Marcus Massey, Judy Tcherniak, Kelly Rian Sanson. On Christmas Eve, a widow casts a spell to resurrect her executed husband.
- (885)
- Comedy, Horror
- Rhys Frake-Waterfield
- 2022-11-01
The Killing Tree On Christmas Eve, a scorned widow casts an ancient spell to resurrect her executed husband. However, when the spell goes wrong, the husband is brought...
- 1 min
- 72.3K
- Horror Brains
A widow resurrects her executed husband as a vengeful Christmas tree in this comedy horror film. Watch the trailer, see the ratings and reviews, and find out where to stream or rent The Killing Tree online.
- (6)
- Sarah Alexandra Marks
- Rhys Frake-Waterfield
- Horror
- Giving is so last season.
- 12 Must-See Christmas Horror Movies
- What's your favorite Christmas horror movie?
- Verdict
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By Matt Donato
Updated: Nov 5, 2022 4:06 am
Posted: Nov 1, 2022 2:00 pm
The Killing Tree is now available on digital and DVD.
"Christmas Horror" is one of the most bottom-weighted horror subgenres, packed with holiday title puns that deliver not an ounce of holly-jolly terror. Rhys Frake-Waterfield's The Killing Tree sounds like another no-budget X-Mas imposter, but consider this an early stocking stuffer. At roughly 70 minutes, with an absurd dedication to concept and extreme midnighter vibes? The Killing Tree unleashes a murderous Christmas tree on seasonal partygoers caught in an insane-to-describe ritual meant to raise a slasher from the dead.
Sarah Alexandra Marks stars as Faith, a solo Christmas hostess left alone in her family's massive estate one year after a murderer slayed her parents. Frake-Waterfield and co-writer Craig McLearie draw inspiration from Child's Play and Christmas Horror favorite Jack Frost as the soul of maniac Clayton Slayter (Marcus Massey) is summoned through black magic into the vessel of a Christmas tree – and not just any enraged Evergreen, either. Slayter's branchy form can seemingly fluctuate in size, stretches piny-spiky appendages like tentacles, and moves with human strides (comical shuffling). Translation? Some actor in a tree suit "stealthily" stomps around a drunken holiday party scenario and carries out an oddball massacre because no one here is fooling anyone about low-budget-but-fun intentions.
Somehow, The Killing Tree joins one-in-a-million successes like Santa Jaws and Silent Night, Deadly Night as Christmas Horror films that joyfully and emphatically deliver what's promised. For every Jack Frost, there are ten Bikini Bloodbath Christmases or Deathcembers. The Killing Tree skews positive because Frake-Waterfield has an eye for stellar camerawork and isn't trying to cheat people with an exploitable title. Treevenge is still the reigning Christmas tree genre experience, but The Killing Tree is no Trees 2: The Root of All Evil. Frake-Waterfield accepts the unenviable challenge of hooking audiences with a walking, talking, stalking Christmas tree, and does so with lunatic confidence that sets a steadier-than-expected tone.
The Killing Tree's lower budget means multiple deaths involve computer-generated animations, as Slayter's wooden-stretchy arms tear victims dressed like dinner table poppers in half. It screams for gory practical flair, but doesn't squander the deadly tree demon's aggression. Marcus Massey mutters morbid threats and chuckles when pulverizing fresh corpses, adding that layer of demented investment The Killing Tree so desperately needs. Special effects are undoubtedly lacking, yet bloody splatters onto the camera and mauled visitors aren't wasted on audiences. Production roughness adds to the fever-dream element of Frake-Waterfield's tonally self-roasting sincerity, going places that include anime(ish) tree-on-tree brawls and knife-wielding arbor fixtures.
Krampus
Gremlins
Black Christmas (1974)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Anna and the Apocalypse
Other -- let us know in the comments.
The Killing Tree is best saved for when Christmas Horror marathons near their conclusion, and everyone needs that jolt of communal midnighter laughter. Rhys Frake-Waterfield manages a meager budget with rather sharp visual execution, as cinematography helps elevate appearances while less polished digital effects spray pixelated mutilation all over ...
A killer Christmas tree stalks and slays partygoers in this low-budget but fun horror film inspired by Child's Play and Jack Frost. The Killing Tree delivers on absurdism and impeccably implausible executions, but also suffers from CGI effects and lack of character development.
- Matt Donato
Sep 24, 2022 · Ever seen a horror about a killer Christmas tree? No? Well now you can! On Christmas Eve, a scorned widow casts an ancient spell to resurrect her executed husband.
- 2 min
- 2133
- Love Horror
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Nov 1, 2022 · Directed by: Rhys Frake-Waterfield Release date: November 1, 2022 (US)(VOD)(DVD)On Christmas Eve, a scorned widow casts an ancient spell to resurrect her exe...
- 1 min
- 14.7K
- UHM - Upcoming Horror Movies
Watch the official trailer of The Killing Tree, a comedy horror movie about a widow who resurrects her executed husband as an Evil Christmas Tree. The movie is set to be released in 2022 and features English subtitles for some languages.
- 1 min
