Red Snow (2021) Review – A Light and Festive Vampire Rom-Com

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing vampire festive comedy Red Snow (2021).

Vampire themed horror laughs

Red Snow is a vampire themed comedy horror. While not leaning into the laughs too heavily, it has its tongue placed firmly in its cheek throughout. It takes a bunch of the usual vampire tropes we have come to know – garlic, crosses, stakes through the heart, weakness to the sun, etc. – and basically has a bit of a chuckle at them.

“Red Snow is a vampire themed comedy horror. While not leaning into the laughs too heavily, it has its tongue placed firmly in its cheek throughout.”

Our heroine, Olivia, is obsessed with vampires. She writes novels about them for a “living”. Olivia even decorates her Christmas tree with vampire teeth. She seems like a bit of a lonely person who yearns for some company, be it from her family or a handsome, wounded vampire with a very chiselled jaw. It just so happens that, while reading a book one day, one turns up at her door. Once she manages to get a hold of him, she isn’t overly willing to let him go.

Focusing on the developing relationship between Olivia and Luke, this is a story of two very different worlds colliding. Olivia has her preconceived ideas of what being a vampire would be like. I mean, she has loved vampires her whole life, how could she not? Luke aims to correct her on a few of those assumptions. While he is at it, he also wants to help her with the draft of her most recent book. The big question is, can she trust him? He is a vampire, after all.

Misery with vampires?

Some have described this movie as Misery with vampires. Being entirely honest, Red Snow is absolutely nothing like Misery. Olivia is a kind person. She is fascinated by Luke and wants to learn more about him. She doesn’t want to force him to stay and I doubt she could if she wanted to. There are none of the elements found in Misery here. Luke is a very willing guest and there is a complete lack of slow burning, psychological horror. In fact, when the horror element actually comes on, it is far more of the action packed variety.

Luke is being pursued by a group of vampire hunters and, also, by a pair of his former friends. When they finally work out where he is, the movie devolves into basic action horror. By this point, however, we are over 50 minutes in and the film is nearly done.

“Red Snow is absolutely nothing like Misery. Luke is a very willing guest and there is a complete lack of slow burning, psychological horror.”

It is very much lacking in the thick sense of tension present in movies like Misery. There is no atmosphere at all to speak of and it simply doesn’t feel very much like a horror movie. Expecting tense horror will leave you disappointed.

Lacking character development

Character development takes something of a back seat in Red Snow. Olivia is a facsimile of your typical, down on their luck, romance novelist. She even looks how you would expect this type of character to look. A stranger to success, numerous publishers have already rejected her. The fact that she is sitting in, what looks like, a $500,000 house doesn’t make it easy to lend much sympathy to her. Still, she is what you would expect from this character type. Beyond those tropes, Olivia lacks in development and is a little bit boring.

Luke is something of a low rent Edward Cullen. I haven’t watched, or read, Twilight and I never will but everyone knows Edward. He is every girl’s fantasy – a potentially deadly creature that only the right person can tame. Luke comes across very much like that. Some of the laughing at the typical vampire tropes seem a little bit like spitting into the wind. Still, he is, again, underdeveloped. Luke completely fits the modern vampire mould. There were no chances taken here and the result is two fairly boring characters.

“For an easily digestible comedy horror with likeable characters and a few laughs, though, it definitely does its job. Just don’t expect too much.”

Luckily there are a few laughs here and there between the two characters. Though they lack chemistry, there are a couple of moments that will make you giggle. Some of the dialogue is quite amusing and Luke dressed in Olivia’s mum’s clothes is a hilarious visual. Some of the pair’s back and forth regarding vampire tropes are quite fun, as well. Though we never really get into the real meat of the vampire experience, the conversations are fun.

Well acted

Acting is generally really good. Dennice Cisneros, as Olivia, does a lot with a little. Olivia is an underdeveloped character but Cisneros makes her work. She is likeable and her facial expressions will garner a few laughs. I like that she is not completely static when talking, as well. This is something you see inexperienced actors do a lot. Cisneros actually uses her hands to express herself and has a good sense of physical comedy.

Nico Bellamy, as Luke, is a little more uneven. He can be a bit stiff and seems somewhat uncomfortable playing the cool, aloof vampire. His delivery can feel unnatural at times. Despite this he warms up as the movie goes on. He isn’t afraid to laugh at himself which is always good. Judging by his IMDb page he is very inexperienced so its hard not to praise him for how well he did, especially when you consider said lack of experience.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

Support the Site Knockout Horror is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Basically, if you click a link to rent or buy a movie, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the lights on and the nightmares coming. Don't worry, we will never recommend a movie purely to generate clicks. If it's bad, we will tell you.

Disclaimer: Images, posters, and video stills used in this review are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included here for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review under fair use. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership and encourages readers to support the official release of all films discussed.