Mel Gibson is Santa Claus.
Yeah, it sounds like a fake trailer from a 2000s action movie, doesn't even feel real. But Fatman exists, and honestly, it’s way better than it has any right to be. Released in 2020 by directors Eshom and Ian Nelms, this isn't your typical "ho-ho-ho" holiday fluff. It’s a gritty, weird, surprisingly sincere look at a world where Chris Cringle is a struggling small-business owner who’s just completely over it.
The Mel Gibson Santa Claus Movie: What’s It Actually About?
The premise is wild. Santa is real, but he’s basically a federal contractor. The U.S. government pays him a subsidy for every gift delivered to "good" kids, which boosts the economy.
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The problem?
The world is getting meaner. Kids are becoming entitled little monsters. Fewer good kids means fewer gifts, which means Santa’s check from the government is shrinking. He’s broke. He’s drinking whiskey and target-practicing with a handgun in the snow. To keep the North Pole running and his elves employed, he has to take a military contract to manufacture parts for fighter jets.
While Chris is dealing with bureaucratic nonsense, a 12-year-old sociopath named Billy Wenan gets a lump of coal. Naturally, instead of reflecting on his life choices, Billy hires a hitman—played by a terrifyingly focused Walton Goggins—to travel to the North Pole and kill Santa Claus.
Why This Movie Is Weirdly Great
Most people expected a parody. They thought it would be Bad Santa with more guns. It isn't. The movie plays everything completely straight. Mel Gibson doesn’t play a "winking at the camera" Santa. He plays a man named Chris who is deeply tired, loves his wife Ruth (a fantastic Marianne Jean-Baptiste), and takes the "naughty or nice" list with the gravity of a divine law.
The world-building is where the Mel Gibson Santa Claus movie really shines. It answers the "how does he do it?" questions with grounded, gritty logic.
- The Elves: They aren't magical sprites; they’re a labor force that eats pure sugar because their metabolism requires it for high-output work.
- The Powers: Chris has a "knowing." He knows everything about everyone he meets. It's not a joke; it's used as a weapon of psychological warfare during the final showdown.
- The Tone: It’s basically a modern Western.
Critics were split on it—it sits around a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes—but the audience score is much higher at 84%. People who like it really like it because it treats the mythology of Santa with more respect than most "serious" movies.
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The Walton Goggins Factor
You can't talk about Fatman without mentioning Walton Goggins. He plays "The Skinny Man," an assassin who has a personal vendetta against Santa. Why? Because as a kid, Santa never brought him the love or family he wanted. He has a basement full of vintage toys and a cold, calculating hatred for the man in the red suit.
The climax of the film isn't a magical sleigh ride. It’s a brutal, bloody gunfight in the snow. Goggins and Gibson have an intensity that makes you forget you're watching a movie about a holiday icon. It’s a standoff between a man who has lost his way and a man who has lost his faith in humanity.
Where to Watch and What to Expect
If you’re looking for a family-friendly flick to watch with the toddlers, stay away. This is a hard R-rated movie. There is blood. There is swearing. There is a lot of internal sadness. But if you want something that feels like Fargo mixed with a Christmas card, this is it.
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As of early 2026, the movie has become a bit of a cult classic on streaming platforms like Netflix. It didn't make a splash at the box office (it only pulled in about $1.6 million worldwide during a pandemic release), but it has found its tribe.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you're planning to dive into Fatman this season, keep an eye out for these details:
- The Filming Locations: It was shot in the Ottawa Valley, Canada. The cold you see on screen is real. The breath coming off the actors isn't CGI; it was filmed in -30°C weather.
- The Script History: The Nelms brothers wrote this script 14 years before it finally got made. They lived with this version of Chris Cringle for over a decade.
- Pay Attention to Ruth: Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s performance as Mrs. Claus is the heart of the film. She isn't just baking cookies; she’s the one holding the entire operation together.
To get the most out of the experience, try pairing it with other "unconventional" holiday movies like Violent Night or The Long Kiss Goodnight. It fits perfectly into that "movies that happen to be at Christmas but aren't about Christmas cheer" subgenre. Check your local streaming listings or VOD platforms like Amazon or Apple TV to find it.