This darkly humorous Christmas film benefits from strong portrayals by Mel Gibson as a grim and unpleasant Santa Claus, and Walton Goggins, who excels in his role as a cold-hearted antagonist. I did have moments where I worried the movie might not live up to what it could be, but ultimately, the final act largely compensated for that. **3.5/5**

The Nelms brothers demonstrate a unique creative vision that suggests they’re worth watching, but their handling of the material is slow and labored. "Fatman" had the potential to become a classic within Christmas movies, similar to how "Unforgiven" redefined Westerns, yet it ultimately comes across as something created by filmmakers who were stretched too thin and lacked a clear direction.