FATMAN – Rated R – 1 hr. 40 mins.

This review is brought to you by Kathy Kaiser

FATMAN – Rated R – 1 hr. 40 mins.

DIRECTORS/WRITERS:  Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms

STARRING:  Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Chance Hurstfield 

In this modern-day Christmas story, we meet Chris, aka Santa Clause (Mel Gibson), having a rather tough year too it seems, as with too many children not behaving these days, it seems that the Government is having to subsidies Santa’s workshop, and in some very unconventional ways. 

It seems too that Santa has continued to deliver on his promise over the years, that bad children get nothing but coal when he arrives, as is the case for young Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield), who is, as they say, none too pleased once he opens what Santa has delivered!

So, when Billy hires his favorite gangster Skinny Man (Walton Goggins) to finally take Santa OUT it seems that Ruth / Mrs. Clause (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), and even our Military have their work cut out of them, as when you cross a rich kid with the means to hire his own hitman, you better stay on your toes, and make sure all those around you become very good lookouts…

I give FATMAN a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN OR STREAMING!  I’m so happy that the Nelms Brothers kept on their quest to bring this film to fruition, as Mel Gibson is sooooo good playing Santa Claus, every step of the way!  I was also intrigued by the way that this film encompasses the meaning of Christmas, as even though the trailer leads you to believe that Santa isn’t quiet his jolly old self anymore, once you take the time to watch this film playout in its entirety, you’ll understand Santa’s philosophy of life a whole lot better, and find that his beliefs for centuries now, has never, ever, wavered.  And as good as Mel is every step of the way, Marianne Jean-Baptiste is fabulous too, playing Santa’s main squeeze, and rather convincingly too!  Walton Goggins is good all along the way as well, playing the scorned by Santa hitman, that has a bone to pick with Santa top.  As unconventional as it all seems going in, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed not only Mel Gibson as Santa, but this “out of the ordinary” Christmas film, with its quirky characters, and its “real to the core” message throughout.  And as graphically violent as the trailer leads you to believe this film is, I was pleasantly captivated by that it’s not as violently graphic as I was led to believe, which actually eased my sensibilities even more.  The only thing that I wished once FATMAN was through, was that they would have spent a little more time on storyline development, because there were so many missed opportunities to make each storyline throughout shine a little bit brighter, which would have left this film leaving even a larger indentation, upon the hearts of its viewers…