Fatman (2020) Review

Directed By: Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms

Starring: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Mariann

Synopsis: To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson), also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly skilled assassin (Walton Goggins), hired by a precocious 12-year-old after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. ‘Tis the season for Fatman to get even, in the action-comedy that keeps on giving.

Review: Mel Gibson playing Santa in an action comedy, ’tis the season after all!

While we are awaiting for Kurt Russell to bring us festive joy in the family fun Christmas Chronicles 2, let’s put the kids to bed and let Mel Gibson take us on an R-rated Sleigh Ride that will have your sleigh bells jingling!

Fatman plays itself straight and never tries to poke fun at itself making everything that happens quite believable and fit straight into our existence.

Gibsons portrayal of Santa, well Chris Cringle has seen Christmas come and go for many years he is like a battle worn santa and with the way children are growing up he is giving out more coal than toys. Chris is tired and has lost the Christmas spirit, when we first meet our ‘tired aul clause’ he is casually shooting cans on his land, though he hits them, he is not exactly a sharpshooter.

This version of Santa was very reminiscent of Rambo from the Last Blood film, while Rambo had the family he had at the ranch, Chris has his loyal and sense talking wife along with his elves.

Walton Goggins steals every scene he is in playing the hitman trying to track Chris down, in doing so, he leaves a high body count behind him eliminating everyone. A stand out scene for me was when Goggins character is interrogating a postal worker for the address of Santa.

Overall it’s great to see Gibson back on screen and this interpretation of Santa he brings to the screen is one to remember.
Fatman is another top movie for Gibson that will be sure to become a cult classic and watched every Christmas. With it being R-rated we get to see some cool old school action we love. The finale of the movie is quite fun, Goggins character eventually finds where Chris lives and makes his assault on the house.