For a good part of the set-up, the movie adopts the look and feel of a television Christmas rom-com. Upon reflection, this is a brilliant move, as the more saccharine the cozy Christmas atmosphere is, the more fun it is to see it ripped to bloody shreds. It is a very punk rock move to imitate a superficial holiday howler only to subvert it in a pool of blood. However, the immediate impact makes you feel you are watching a much cheaper and cornier movie than you are actually in for.
The good tidings about The Mean One is you will not have to wait too long to get to the good stuff, which kicks in after 13 minutes, and it’s pretty good. LaMorte uses quick edits and sharp angles to enhance the practical special effects. It appears the Grinch’s dog, Max, is also a gorehound. The Koblers took an interesting path with the script by adopting elements of wild animals on the rampage plot line, like Grizzly, instead of just a green fuzzy slasher.
“…uses quick edits and sharp angles to enhance the practical special effects.”
The big news is that it offers concrete proof that David Howard Thornton is not a one-lunatic pony. I was worried whether all of the genius Thornton shows with his Art the Clown character from the Terrifier universe could be used to create another unique murderer. But Thornton’s Grinch is a vicious delight with brand new homicidal nuances that are quite different from the monochromatic clown. He does a lot of moves from the cartoon, with lots of creeping and snatching, while bringing a feral feel to the green guy. This was the perfect casting choice, and the actor is a draw now. Thornton is pioneering dark new screen territory for the classic silent clown, using the old Chaplin methods to get screams instead of snickers.
The Grinch makeup is of superior quality and looks like the most expensive part. The Seuss references are clever and genuinely funny, especially the one in the finale that puts a star on the twisted logic tree of the concept. It hits that evil satire sweet spot like you would find in a Mad magazine in Satan’s outhouse. In violent Christmas debauchery, The Mean One couldn’t be better.
"…a drinking hot cocoa out of Santa's skull kind of movie."
