One year after saving her town from a psychotic killer, a young woman finds herself in a nightmarish parallel universe. With the murderous maniac now back, she must team up with a misfit to identify the culprit and get back to her own reality. A film by Tyler MacIntyre, starring Jane Widdop, Aiden Howard, Jess McLeod, Joel McHale, Erin Boyes, Katharine Isabelle, William B. Davis, Cassandra Naud, Sean Depner, and Justin Long.

As the Carruthers family in Angel Falls prepares to return home for their Christmas dinner, their plans are interrupted by Henry Walters. He needs David’s assistant at Roger Evans’ house. This house is the final key for Henry’s vision of Waters Cove, a grand shopping center he envisions for Angel Falls’ future.

Henry (Justin Long) and David (Joel McHale) arrive at Roger’s house, attempting to persuade him to sign the contract. As expected, Roger (William B. Davis) stands his ground, refusing to sell and declaring his intention to leave the house to his granddaughter Cara. Henry, displeased, threatens Roger with this being his final opportunity. Meanwhile, Cara exits to meet her best friend Winnie. Before she leaves, David reminds her about the dinner at his house tomorrow.

After everyone else leaves, Roger remains alone in the deafening silence of the house. A series of continuous bangs on the front door shatter the quiet. Assuming it’s Henry returning, he yells back that his answer is still no. But the banging persists. Roger throws open the door, only to be attacked and killed by a mysterious figure cloaked in an Angel costume. The Angel stalks Cara (Hana Huggins) to the party, stabbing her to death after silencing her boyfriend Eddie (Oscar Chark). Meanwhile, in the nearby woods, Jimmy (Aiden Howard) and his boyfriend Chad (Brandon Ironside), are startled by a rustle in the darkness. Feeling a growing unease, Jimmy suggests they should leave.

Jimmy is intercepted by the murderer in an Angel costume. The Angel attempts to kill him with a knife, but Winnie intervenes and successfully slays the Angel, saving her brother’s life. The true identity of the Angel is revealed to be Henry Waters. After his death, the Carruthers family realty business rises preeminently. Everyone quickly moves past the trauma of the murderous incident, except Winnie and Henry’s brother Buck (Sean Depner), who remain marked by the event.

The film’s opening 16 minutes establish a twisted premise that soon plunges into magic and alternate realities. One year after witnessing her best friend’s murder, Winnie (Jane Widdop) still suffers the trauma. On Christmas Eve, amidst the sting of a NYU rejection letter, her brother’s car gift, and her boyfriend’s infidelity, the aurora sky ignites Winnie’s despair. Under its glow, she whispers to herself, “No one cares about me. Like I don’t even exist. Everyone would be better off if I was never born.” As the aurora swirls, Winnie is transported to a chilling alternate reality of Angel Falls. There, she learns of a year-long killing spree by the Angel, leaving 26 dead, including her brother Jimmy, murdered just as he was on this Christmas Eve, a year ago.

It’s a Wonderful KNIFE isn’t just a delightful film to watch; it’s a hilariously macabre riff on the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, spiking holiday cheer with a generous dose of blood and body horror. This genre-bending blend of magical whimsy, sci-fi thrills, and slasher chills boasts several inventively gruesome kills – the camera-flash-lit one is a true standout – that are sure to stay with you long after the credits roll.

Justin Long delivers an impressive performance as the film’s enigmatic villain, but the source of his town-controlling abilities remains frustratingly ambiguous. While the film is mostly predictable, there are a few clever surprises along the way. Overall, “It’s a Wonderful KNIFE” is a fun and festive film that will leave you with a grin, and maybe a slight shiver.

It’s a Wonderful KNIFE premiered at Beyond Fest on 8 October 2023. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 10 November.