Unholy Night [Fantasia International Film Festival Review]

by Mike McGranaghan

Fans of yuletide horror will scream in joy over Unholy Night. This Christmas-themed chiller with comedic overtones more than lives up to its title, taking the undead concept to crazy, gory new places. Writer/director Michael Gabriele brought this holiday madness to the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival. It seems primed to enjoy a healthy life outside the festival circuit thanks to a killer premise and truly creepy visual effects.

It’s Christmas Eve. Underachiever Gino (Marc Bendavid) prepares for a traditional Italian family get-together with his parents and assorted relatives. What should be a nice celebration turns ugly when Gino’s grandmother Nonna (Jacqueline Robbins) unexpectedly shows up. You see, she’s been dead for years. Now she’s back, looking distinctly zombie-like, and apparently out for blood. Gino has to figure out how to stop her, while also trying to save his ex-girlfriend Rene (Shailene Garnett), who gets caught up in the insanity.

Unholy Night has fun playing with the idea of a zombie grandma. Grandmothers are supposed to be sources of love and affection, not homicidal lunatics. Nonna’s strength and malice are often played for laughs. She’s kind of scary, too. (See photo below.) The visual effects that transfer her back and forth from normal-looking to demonic are impressive, giving the character an ominous presence. Other zombie relatives arrive partway through the film, adding to the comedic terror. The kills that occur onscreen will surely delight the gorehounds in the audience.

A sweetness underlies everything else. Gino is looked down upon by his relatives because he works in a paint store and lives in his parents’ basement. Figuring out what to do about Nonna gives him an opportunity to prove his worth. In addition to that, the broken relationship between Gino and Rene goes to a surprisingly emotional place at the end, touching on the theme of romantic regret.

The plot’s finale hinges on a twist that feels awfully similar to one of the most famous cinematic twists ever. Realizing that proves minorly distracting. On the whole, though, the movie has a lot of laughs, several gloriously unhinged acts of violence, and a fantastic ensemble cast that believably creates a dysfunctional family. Unholy Night puts the ho-ho-ho in holiday horror.

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