Rare Exports is an aptly named, sure to be cult Christmas classic which is as fun as it is thrilling.

A product of Finland, Rare Exports is based on a series of short films which were wildly popular on YouTube, stretched here to a feature length film which - although riddled with flaws- its strengths more than make up for.

Its success lies in writer/director Jalmari Helander’s ability to mesh action, adventure, horror, and the blackest of comedy. Performances also impress, especially from 10 year old Onni Tommila, who in a year of pretenders and sadistic brats (i.e. Kick-Ass) brings the heroic attributes needed to make this film work.

Young Onni stars as Pietari, the son of struggling hunter Rauno (real life father Jorna Tommila), whose livestock has been mysteriously slaughtered, leaving them broke during the holidays.

All suspicions point to a mysterious archaeological project on top of a mountain, where unbeknownst to them, Santa Clause himself has been buried for centuries. Yet this Santa is not the kind seen in shopping centres worldwide, but is more akin to a Christmas demon, flaying the kids within an inch of their lives, exactly the type of creature best left buried.

Yet when Santa is let loose and the town kids begin to disappear, it is up to Pietari and Rauno to save Christmas day.

To say this is the scariest Santa to bring Christmas tiding to the movie going masses would be accurate.

Taking on the merry vibes the Christmas season evokes, Helander de-myths the coca-cola Santa with tongue in cheek intensity, transforming the image of the jolly fat man with red suit and white beard, into a decrepit, dirty, and gaunt figure, who is almost paedophilic-ally evil in demeanour.

Yet for all of its chilling horror and over the top lunacy, Rare Exports has to be one of the most fun times had at the flicks this year, and is perhaps the closest thing to a 1980s-esque action adventure seen in some time.