Infinite Santa 8000 – Synapse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2013
Director: Michael Neel
Writers: Greg Ansin, Michael Neel
Cast: Duane Bruce, Tara Henry, Michael Neel

Release Date: November 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 101 Minutes 52 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"It is the year 8000. The old world is gone. Not much remains, except for the mutants, scum, and robo-people. Humanity has been wiped out and everyone must kill to survive... even Santa! When his beloved Martha is kidnapped by the evil Dr. Shackleton, Santa and his robotic reindeer head out into the post-apocalyptic wasteland to rescue her. Bloody carnage ensues as Santa fights his way through hordes of mutant creatures including bat-sharks, kill-bots and even a giant Easter bunny to save Martha and carry on the Christmas spirit." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Infinite Santa 8000 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.2 GB

Feature: 27.9 GB

The source looks excellent; image clarity and compression are solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo English with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include trailer 1 (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), trailer 2 (1 minute, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), trailer 3 (1 minute 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), music video 1 (3 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), music video 2 (2 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Making the Score (5 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with audio recordist/production sound mixer Eric Welsh titled Post Production (4 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Tara Henry titled The Voice of Martha and Dr. Shackleton (4 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Duane Bruce titled The Voice of Santa (5 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with artist/colorist Jeff O'Brien (3 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with artist Nicholas Flanagan (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with artist Dawn Scaltreto (4 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Greg Ansin and Michael Neel titled Creators (10 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), the complete original 13-part web series with optional audio commentary by Greg Ansin and Michael Neel (31 minutes 40 seconds, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Greg Ansin and Michael Neel, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

In a post-apocalyptic future, a cyborg Santa battles mutants and cyborgs.

Infinite Santa 8000 is a blend of sci-fi, action, and subversive humor. The narrative immediately draws you in with a bloody death match between Santa and a cyborg. This opening sequence is a strong indicator of what to expect tone-wise. There is never a shortage of gruesome moments of carnage. That said, though action-heavy, the narrative devotes just around the right amount of time to exposition.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Infinite Santa 8000 is lacking. The premise is superbly executed, the narrative moves along rapidly, and a finale where Santa performs a Christmas miracle. Another strength is how well the animation works with the story that unfolds. Also, Infinite Santa 8000 has a hard rock Christmas-themed score that perfectly captures the mood. Ultimately, Infinite Santa 8000 is a highly entertaining film that's destined to be a yuletide classic.

Infinite Santa 8000 gets an exceptional release from Synapse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer