There are some movies that so damn odd they almost defy description. Rare Exports is one these movies.
This Finnish movie is based on two short movies that the director Jalmari Helander had made called Rare Exports Inc. (2003) and a sequel entitled The Official Rare Exports Inc. Safety Instructions 2005. Out of these brilliant short films comes a story about the origins of Santa Claus that I guarantee the vast majority of us haven’t heard.
Apparently old Saint Nick is actually an old man with horns who use to go around punishing and eating naughty children. A long time ago the good people of the Lapland decided enough was enough and buried Santa in a mountain. Centuries later an English-speaking businessman has a group of miners excavate the mountain where he believes Santa is buried. Meanwhile a group of local reindeer herders find their entire flock has been killed making it a lousy Christmas and really tough winter. Then strange things start happening. But a young boy who believes in the old legends knows what’s really happening. To say any more would be spoiling the fun.
I’ve read other reviews who say the movie feels similar to John Carpenter’s The Thing. I can see where they might think that but the movie has it’s own weird creepy vibe to it. This is a extremely entertaining movie and the filmmakers get far more mileage out of their short film than one would think.