Horror Movie Review: Gnome Sick: 7 Slays Til Mithras (2025)

A highly creative ‘no-budget’ festive horror that has a ton of charm, writer/director Mike L. Taylor and a cast that include Bryan Forrest, Lennon Hobsen, Pyar Anderson, Ian Reier Michaels, Tracey Rooney, and Lauren Sperling, work their asses off to make Gnome Sick: 7 Slays Til Mithras a notable film.

The town of Christmas, California, is not like anywhere else. Not only is Christmas such a big deal that the town is plagued by a killer named the ‘Santa Slasher’ but it’s a town that goes back to the pagan roots of the holiday. Roots that involve a cult that worships the ancient and mysterious Mithras.

Of course, that was then and these days, all anyone in Christmas wants to do is enjoy the holidays and not fall foul of the Santa Slasher. Pete Grunderson, a failed actor, hates Christmas though (both the town and the holiday) and has long departed the town, much to the chagrin of his family. Tired of disappointing them, he decides to surprise them this Christmas by coming home and spending the holiday with them.

Except when he returns home, he discovers his family is missing, and after finding some bones in the backyard, he’s worried they might have become the latest victims of the Santa Slasher. What happened to his parents and sister? Who is the Santa Slasher? Will Pete find love in Christmas and for Christmas while spending Christmas in Christmas? What is he going to do about the evil gnomes?

It’s a mad film, but a very enjoyable one, and all because everyone plays up to the fact that’s it is mostly nonsense. A lot of effort has gone into making Gnome Sick: 7 Slays Til Mithras the kind of film you have fun with, even if (like always) it’s just a tad too long in the end. I really do wish modern filmmakers would tighten things up, but to be fair, this is far from the most egregious of examples.

A slow start, but one that gives Pete some much needed character work and establishes the Christmas plot, location, and setting, turns into a riotous romcom. Where the anti-Christmas character goes back to his hometown, falls in love, and embraces the holidays wholeheartedly. Except here, it’s more about sex, Christmas decorations, insane law enforcement (with some of the funniest scenes), cults, animated gnomes that may be controlled by a murderous Santa Claus, and so much more.

I would say it goes off the rails by the end, but who am I kidding? It never actually gets on the bloody rails. Here we have a great example of no money meeting talent and everyone involved believing in what they were doing here. I’m not going to tell you it is great, because it is not, but it is absolutely worth a watch.