‘Adult Swim Yule Log 2’ Is the Glorious Horror Hallmark Mash-Up You Never Knew You Needed [Review]

Adult Swim once again defies expectations with a bold, brilliant genre experiment that transforms a yule log video into a horror/Hallmark hybrid about second chances.

“I just feel like I’m trapped in a horror movie I can’t get out of.”

Horror and Christmas have been a powerful combination for over 50 years. It was initially a disturbing shock to the system to see sacred Christmas iconography get perverted into dark tools of dread. This surprise has worn off after decades of meditations on killer Santas and Krampus. Even Art the Clown has invaded Christmas at this point. That being said, there’s still nothing like a good, genuine surprise in a horror movie and Adult Swim accomplishes this tall task in its latest holiday offering. 

Casper Kelly is always one to creatively experiment with structure, form, and genre. Too Many Cooks, Final Deployment 4: Queen Battle Walkthrough, and to a lesser extent, Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell, are all bold, subversive genre exercises that combine structure and storytelling to create something truly special. This is exactly what made the original Adult Swim Yule Log such a rewarding and surprising experience. Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out keeps this trend going, albeit in a totally different way, that sees the characters caught in a toxic genre tug-of-war that pulls them between an ultra-violent horror movie and a sugary sweet Hallmark holiday film.

Adult Swim Yule Log 2 actively uses the subtext of horror sequels to tell a story about second chances. This ridiculous, silly experiment becomes a harrowing meditation on PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and how to reclaim power and manifest a happy ending that’s a must-watch horror movie. It’s the perfect holiday gift from Adult Swim. 

The original Adult Swim Yule Log – also known as The Fireplace – was a bewildering filmmaking experiment where an innocuous Yule Log video morphs into a supernatural slasher extravaganza. Adult Swim Yule Log 2 follows one of the survivors of this massacre, Zoe (Andrea Laing), but understands that it can’t just replicate its predecessor’s formula now that the cat is out of the bag. There are so many angles to take in a sequel of this nature. Adult Swim Yule Log 2 does something that’s completely original and unexpected, yet also finds a way to recapture the avant-garde punk rock energy of the first film. This sequel is bigger than the original in every regard and it achieves a powerful feeling where the audience has no idea where it’s going. There’s a reflexive, meta quality that’s akin to Human Centipede 2 or Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 where the sequel acknowledges – and even directly watches – the original movie.

Adult Swim Yule Log 2’s central “Hallmark versus horror” concept immediately comes together. There’s enough mileage to this concept that it never feels like Adult Swim Yule Log 2 is just repeating the same joke…except when that’s the point. This idea works so well, especially when Adult Swim Yule Log 2 plays with lighting, music, performance, and dialogue as it fluctuates between the extremes of horror and Hallmark. One of the movie’s most clever scenes involves two characters having dinner, but their respective halves of the frame look like they’re from completely different movies. There’s a literal genre dividing line that splits the screen in half, all of which beautifully encapsulates Adult Swim Yule Log 2. It’s such a clever visual and a really effective way to evolve beyond what made the original work. It turns the Hallmark genre into a constricting horror film of its own. No one has really subverted a Hallmark movie to this degree before. It’s a project that perfectly exudes Kelly’s innovative energy.

The first Adult Swim Yule Log ended in such a heightened, absurdist way. It builds to a broad place in its final act where it doesn’t have to worry about how to sustain this nonsense for the full length of a movie. It’s incredibly freeing for this sequel to start at the same level of exaggeration and push it to even wilder extremes. It’s so liberating and impressive that Adult Swim Yule Log 2 rises to the occasion and reaches a heightened tone where a floating, sentient Murder Log is the movie’s baseline and the least ridiculous thing that happens. It allows the movie to open up in beautiful, ludicrous ways. It’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 to Texas Chain Saw Massacre. 

Adult Swim Yule Log 2’s surreal story and horror subversions are what will impress most audiences. However, this film is more than just a curious genre experiment. It boasts absolutely incredible practical effects. There’s a gory set-piece that ushers in the final act that’s really in a league of its own. This sequel crafts a captivating creature design that’s reminiscent of some lo-fi Stan Winston monster. Just like in its predecessor, there’s more Lynchian Black Lodge detours. However, it’s still fun to see this universe develop more of an eccentric lore and pocket dimension madness. There’s honestly a bit of a Terrifier mentality when it comes to the movie’s more fantastical story elements.

On top of everything else, this is also a horror movie that is just stupidly funny. The script is so clever with how it lampoons both horror and Hallmark films. This is a movie where its final girl, Zoe, is so traumatized by the first film’s events that she carries an axe with her throughout the entire movie. In one scene, the town’s never-ending parade of meet-cutes becomes an active obstacle. Adult Swim Yule Log 2 is just as successful as an absurdist comedy as it is as an extreme slasher sequel.

Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out is a genuine delight that’s weird and wonderful. It’s certainly one of 2024’s weirdest horror movies, but it’s an impressive accomplishment and stylistic masterpiece. The film leans into comedy more than its predecessor and there are lengthy stretches where it’s easy to forget that you’re watching a horror movie, not a Hallmark movie. It remains a perpetually fascinating experience. Hopefully Casper Kelly will be able to bring his groundbreaking and genre-bending sensibilities to more feature films going forward.

‘Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out’ is now available to stream on Adult Swim and Max.