I haven't seen the original Adult Swim Yule Log, but I was drawn to the premise of a horror movie protagonist getting stuck in a Hallmark Christmas movie. After watching this, I'm happy to report that "Yule Log 2" met and even exceeded my expectations!
Following the tragic incidents of the first movie (which are briefly recapped at the beginning), protagonist Zoe is on the run, desperately attempting to escape the killer flying Yule Log that's after her. Thoroughly traumatized, she discovers that she's able to take refuge from the horror by entering a Hallmark-style small town Christmas movie... for a while, anyways. What ensues is a Hallmark movie parody-romantic comedy-horror mashup with a gnarly finale and a surprising commitment to treating the Hallmark movie beats sincerely.
The actors were well cast and turned in performances that were uniformly on point for the tone of the movie. (Special kudos to Michael Shenefelt, who was utterly charming and earnest as the Hallmark leading man, and who also did a great job shifting tones when the story veered into campy horror.) The writing was good, the characters were surprisingly likable, and Zoe's arc of trying to overcome her trauma was unexpectedly effective and emotional.
This movie definitely isn't for everyone - there are some pretty grotesque moments, splashes of Adult Swim-style surrealism, and very sincere Hallmark movie elements, which is a unique combination of tones, for sure - but this movie is consistently entertaining and well made, with some great jokes, charming performances, and a solid story.
As of early 2025, it's streaming for free over on Adult Swim's website. If horror movie meets Hallmark Christmas sounds like your cup of tea, you owe it to yourself to check this one out!
