80
Delightfully unpredictable and surprisingly shocking, this is the kind of wintry wickedness that will see you through both Halloween and Christmas, especially if you like those holiday flavors together.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
90
It’s only October, but Christmas has come early for horror fans.
70
Arizona Republic by Bill Goodykoontz
Co-writer and director Chris Peckover clearly knows his way around both the holiday and horror genres, and while this isn’t the first time someone has blended the two, it is one of the more-effective efforts. It’s scary and fun, if your idea of fun involves occasional gore and torture, things like that.
70
What starts out looking like a prank run amuck gradually grows more sinister, with director Chris Peckover (“Undocumented”) nicely handling the swerves toward dramatic peril and fatal consequences while still maintaining a confectionary “family entertainment” veneer of antic doings in a glossy suburban setting.
25
San Francisco Chronicle by G. Allen Johnson
A horror “comedy” about a deranged 12-year-old boy with a script that feels like it was written by a deranged 12-year-old boy.
58
The Film Stage by Jared Mobarak
Only when I was certain of the stakes could I sit back and let the proceedings unfold, my skepticism evaporating to appreciate the sadistically laid plans.
70
The Hollywood Reporter by Jordan Mintzer
The sadistic horror comedy Safe Neighborhood is the kind of film that’s tough to categorize but easy to enjoy, especially if you like watching teenagers do some very twisted things for the holiday season.
75
The film will continue to defy your expectations.
70
We Got This Covered by Matt Donato
Better Watch Out is a good movie you should watch knowing nothing about, like a spoiler-free Christmas morning.
90
Los Angeles Times by Noel Murray
From the shockingly raunchy dialogue to the ironic yuletide pop songs, this movie is a fun kind of nasty.