Why Rare Exports Is One of the Best Christmas Horror Movies Ever Made
What makes a Christmas classic? That’s a loaded question, I know. There are so many movies now that try to label themselves Christmas movies. A lot of people think it has to take place on Christmas and have the holiday be the main part of the plot, like A Christmas Story or A Christmas Carol. Sure, those are definitely Christmas movies. But what about the hundreds of shovelware holiday movies Hallmark pumps out every year? What about the GOAT of Christmas-time movies, Die Hard? Or stuff like Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3… jeez, Shane Black, we get it. It’s hard to say what is or isn’t a Christmas movie because there’s just so much opinion involved that finding consensus is nearly impossible. What is slightly easier is figuring out what makes a good movie. Today, we’re looking at one we haven’t discussed on the channel that’s somehow been around for nearly 15 years. It shows up on plenty of lists, has a strong reputation, and was made by creators who have gone on to become pretty big names. But does it stand the test of time as a Christmas horror classic, or should it be buried forever like one of its main characters? This is Rare Exports.
The Plot
Rare Exports started from very small beginnings. Back in 2003, Woodpecker Film, a Finnish commercial production company, released a short film called Rare Exports, Inc., which you can still find on YouTube and other platforms. The short follows three hunters searching the Lapland (the largest region of Finland) for a mysterious creature that turns out to be the original Santa Claus. They capture him, clean him up, dress him like the Saint Nick we know and love, and train him to speak and act like Santa. Then they ship him off to other parts of the world as a “rare export.”
It’s a wildly inventive idea that practically begs to be explored further. Thanks to the short’s positive reception, the company asked the creative team, led by writer and director Jalmari Helander, to expand on it. In 2005, we got Rare Exports: The Official Safety Instructions, which further explored the concept while keeping the same tone and visual style.
Both shorts built a sizable cult following in Finland and abroad, especially in the U.S. Helander eventually brought the idea to producer Petri Jokiranta, and his company Cinet greenlit a feature-length version. Development began in 2007, with full production starting in 2009. The film was released worldwide in late 2010 as a co-production between Finland, Norway, and Sweden. It pulled in around $4 million, more than doubling its modest $1.8 million budget, and became a critical darling. It currently sits at around 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned praise from major critics, including Roger Ebert and Kim Newman.
This was Helander’s first feature film, which led to bigger projects like the TV show Wingman, the 2014 action film Big Game starring Samuel L. Jackson, and more recently Sisu and its sequel. He’s even been tapped to take over the Rambo franchise with the prequel John Rambo.
Cast, Crew, and Family Ties
The two main stars, who play a father and son, are actually father and son in real life: Jorma Tommila and Onni Tommila. In a genuinely wholesome continuation of life imitating art, many of Onni’s future roles have involved working with his dad and Helander again, including appearances in Big Game and Sisu. Jorma Tommila, meanwhile, has become an unconventional action star, similar to Jean Reno or Liam Neeson, thanks to his portrayal of Aatami in Sisu and its 2025 sequel. He seems to be Helander’s muse in the same way DiCaprio is for Scorsese or Toshiro Mifune was for Akira Kurosawa.
To keep the family affair going, Helander even wrote the original shorts with his own brother.
The Story
The feature-length Rare Exports expands naturally on the shorts. An American and British excavation team searches for an ancient burial site in Lapland, believing it will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Two local boys, Juuso and Pietari, watch everything unfold.
Juuso explains that Santa is not only real, but vengeful, far more interested in punishing children than rewarding them. Pietari, armed with an old book detailing Santa’s true nature, believes every word. He even closes his advent calendar early, dons makeshift armor, and attempts to trap Santa before he can be punished himself.
As the village prepares for its annual reindeer harvest, nearly the entire herd is found slaughtered. The villagers blame the mining operation, but when they confront the camp, everyone is gone, leaving behind only a massive hole in the ground.
On Christmas Eve, a trap meant for wolves catches something else entirely: a naked old man who initially appears dead. He isn’t. They dress him as Santa, but soon children begin to disappear… everyone except Pietari. The old man bites one of his captors, and the truth becomes clear: this isn’t Santa.
What follows is the revelation of Santa’s elves, a terrifying army of feral old men, and the discovery of the real Santa frozen deep beneath the earth. The villagers devise a plan to destroy him, round up the elves, and ultimately sell them worldwide as mall Santas. Hence, the rare export.
Signs of the Time
Holiday horror generally falls into two categories: realistic (like Black Christmas or Silent Night, Deadly Night) and supernatural (like Gremlins or Krampus). With Santa portrayed as an ancient mythological monster, Rare Exports firmly lands in the supernatural camp, and sits near the top of it. It also went against the grain. Long before Krampus or A Christmas Horror Story, Rare Exports helped pioneer the “evil Santa” concept as something mythic rather than goofy.
The late 2000s and early 2010s were a strange but exciting time for horror. Foreign films were mounting a comeback and often overshadowing domestic releases, much like the late ’90s and early 2000s. We got films like I Saw the Devil, Trollhunter, We Are What We Are, and even Japan flipping the script with Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night. This era also leaned heavily into a timeless horror theme: kids understanding the truth while adults struggle to catch up, and Rare Exports executes that perfectly.
What Holds Up?
Almost everything. This tightly packed 82-minute gem nails its setting, characters, performances, and story. It feels familiar while still being fresh, playing with holiday horror tropes in clever ways. The reveal that the terrifying old men aren’t Santa himself but his elves is brilliant, mirroring the American idea of mall Santas as “helpers” and cranking it up to eleven.
The pacing is excellent, the suspense is strong, and the plot expands perfectly from the original shorts. The art direction is fantastic, especially the mining site and the illustrated book detailing Santa’s evil deeds. Seriously, I want that book.
The blending of Santa and Krampus mythology is seamless, and honestly, there’s very little here not to like.
What Doesn’t Hold Up?
There are a few nits to pick.
First, I wish it were longer. There’s enough lore here for a two-hour movie or even a miniseries. Unfortunately, nearly 15 years later, a sequel seems unlikely… and no, we definitely don’t want an American remake.
Second, while there is some English spoken, make no mistake: this is a foreign-language film. If subtitles are a dealbreaker, you’re out of luck.
Finally, while the low budget works in the film’s favor most of the time, Santa himself looks a bit rough. I wish he were more imposing and terrifying, especially since he’s technically the big bad. None of this ruins the movie, but perfection is rare.
Verdict
I’m not just saying this so Santa doesn’t throw me in a sack and drag me away, but this movie rules. Rare Exports absolutely stands the test of time and easily ranks as a top 10 holiday horror movie. It’s endlessly rewatchable and deserves a spot in your yearly rotation, whether you’re wrapping presents or sipping coffee or eggnog.
Rare Exports is a rare treat indeed.
A couple of the previous episodes of The Test of Time can be seen below. To see more, click over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
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