The Official Rare Exports Inc. Safety Instructions 2005 (2005)

Very well executed

Powerful

Good movie but grossly overrated

Don't listen to the negative reviews

And by this I am not talking about the quality of this 9-minute short movie. More of the contents. However, not everyone can be a winner and this description also applies to the short film. I don't think it's nearly as good as the first short film from 2 years earlier, maybe because the surprise effect is gone. 5 years after this second short, writer and director Jalmari Helander turned the idea into a full feature film. Back to this short film here, Helander basically tried to bring back all the factors that made the first one so funny (actors, style, narration), but still it comes short. Nonetheless, I think people who really loved the first can give this one a go too, or skip it and go for the long movie directly. Everybody else can give this one a pass.

In this sequel to 'Rare Exports Inc' we are shown the horrendous results of abusing Father Christmas.As a sequel to the first short film we get a second short film, again presented in the informational "nature video" style. This time we see the life of Father Christmas after he is shipped out, and when those delivering him do not follow the simple instructions. This is rather hilarious, and far more horror-themed than the first installment.It does raise some questions, though. As the film seems to suggest this is a "trained" Father Christmas, how can they be sent out if these infractions make them go berserk? Certainly in malls they may avoid smoking and drinking, possibly even cursing... but loud noise? These guys would not last one day.

A few years before "The Official Rare Exports Inc. Safety Instructions" debuted, Jalmari Helander made a film called "Rare Exports Inc.". This original film wasn't really intended as anything more than a cute film to be shown to a small group of folks, but fortunately it got out and was a huge hit on the internet. Now, in this second film we have a sequel. And, if you like the sequel, then I have good news for you--in 2010 the two films led to a full-length horror movie which is sick, twisted and a lot of fun.Before watching this film, I do recommend you see the first short before this sequel. It would make the viewing experience much more enjoyable.This films is like an industrial training film. It gives lots of warnings about how to deal with a wild Father Christmas. It's all very sick....but also incredibly well made. It has a wonderful cinematic quality that makes you marvel. Great music, great special effects and a strange, sick sense of humor make this well worth your time. BUT, I also should point out these are NOT films for kids or those easily offended. In fact, it helps if you are the sort who likes to be offended!! Not as good as the first film and MUCH darker--but also worth seeing.

This is a rare example of a sequel that's equal in quality to the original film it's a follow-up to. The Father Christmas from the first movie is abused by several dock workers and gets loose so he can embark on a murderous spree. It's up to three expert hunters to track Father Christmas down and kill him. Director/co-writer Jalmari Helander once again adroitly mines a fresh, inventive, and wickedly funny line in deliciously dark and twisted pitch-black humor (the safety tips on not making any loud noises, smoking, or drinking around a Father Christmas are genuinely hilarious in an admittedly twisted sort of way). Otso Tarkela gives a convincingly feral performance as the bloodthirsty and dangerous Father Christmas. Tommi Korpela, Jorma Tommila, and Tazu Ovaska are likewise credible as the ace hunters forced to take Father Christmas out like a wild rabid beast. Jonathan Hutchings' wonderfully deep and solemn gravel-voiced narration further enhances the deadpan comic tone. Moreover, there's also a nice smattering of grisly gore and an extremely eerie conclusion set in a remote woodland graveyard for deceased Father Christmases. Jean Noel Mastonen's polished cinematography gives the picture an exquisitely glossy and wintry look. The melodic and majestic orchestral score is also on the money fine and effective. Well worth seeing.