Fantasia Festival Review: Zombie Horror Comedy UNHOLY NIGHT Doesn’t Work

Sometimes you go into a film with the whole-hearted expectation that you are going to love it. This happens when the trailer seems to have delivered the goods and got you hooked on the concept and visuals. However, when it eventually comes to watching the final product, you’re left just a little disappointed. That’s how I felt with Unholy Night – which just screened at the Fantasia Film Festival. The trailer caught my attention, the concept of a zombie infested Christmas Eve intrigued me, but sadly the film didn’t quite work for me. It’s a shame because, like I said the concept is there, but Unholy Night is just too unfocused to really resonate. 

An Italian family meet on Christmas Eve – but one guest arrives who they’re not expecting – their dead grandmother. This is only the beginning and soon the walking dead is invading the sleepy festive neighbourhood, trying to – in their own very special undead way – assimilate back into the lives which they once lived. 

Now, it’s not that Michael Gabriele’s film doesn’t have all the elements to make a good film. It’s a great looking flick (with impressive effects) and the performances are strong – it just feels like the concept is spread way too thin. The story should either had a much wider scope (unlikely on a modest budget), or more been confined (which is more suitable). However, it tries to do a little bit of both and misses the mark.

The film is peppered with good turns from an ensemble cast and Marc Bendavid and Shailene Garnett make for perky leads – but some of the characters (like the plot) feel under-evolved. Horror-comedies can seem easy to pull off – but they’re actually very difficult to do well – there’s a lot to balance. The two genres have the same rhythms, but juggling both isn’t easy. Sadly, not everything can be Shaun Of The Dead. 

I think that as a director Michael Gabriele has the chops – I just don’t think that this is the perfect showcase for his talents. Look, sometimes movies work and sometimes they don’t – and unfortunately, Unholy Night failed to hit the mark. A shame. 

You can find out much more – and see the whole line-up on the official website for the 2026 incarnation of the the Fantasia International Film Festival. 

I’ll be posting up a slew of reviews – so keep checking Movies In Focus to see what I have to say about this very exciting line-up.