Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- irreverent
- campy
- witty
- holiday movie night
- hanukkah viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the film inventive and energetic as an irreverent holiday parody, though its broad humor and uneven execution limited its appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film casts Hanukkah defenders against a villainous Santa Claus successor and turns Christmas conventions upside down.
The central conflict pits a campaign against Hanukkah against Jewish and Kwanzaa liberation forces in knowingly cartoonish form.
Mordechai is styled as an orthodox Jewish action stud with a nickname, bravado, and heroic swagger modeled on exploitation cinema.
The Jewish Justice League and Kwanzaa Liberation Front unite in an intentionally ridiculous campaign against Damian Claus.
Films like The Hebrew Hammer, and why
Bad Santa
irreverent holiday satire, exaggerated cultural conflict, and broad action comedy
Dogma
absurdist comedy, subversive religious imagery, and cult-movie sensibility
Black Dynamite
outrageous parody, stylized violence, and politically incorrect humor
Scrooged
holiday setting, comic action, and deliberately exaggerated genre conventions
Movie Details
- Director
- Jonathan Kesselman
- Release Date
- 2003-12-05
- Runtime
- 81 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (67)
Cast
- Adam Goldberg
- Judy Greer
- Andy Dick
- Mario Van Peebles
- Peter Coyote
- Nora Dunn
- Sean Whalen
- Tony Cox
- Richard Riehle
- Melvin Van Peebles
Common questions
- What is The Hebrew Hammer about?
- An outrageous Hanukkah action parody follows a swaggering orthodox hero battling Santa’s fascistic heir to defend Jewish holiday tradition.
- What is The Hebrew Hammer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Hebrew Hammer as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Hebrew Hammer violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Hebrew Hammer as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Hebrew Hammer?
- Critics generally found the film inventive and energetic as an irreverent holiday parody, though its broad humor and uneven execution limited its appeal.
- Which films are like The Hebrew Hammer?
- Films with a similar feel include Bad Santa, Dogma, Black Dynamite, and Scrooged.
- How long is The Hebrew Hammer?
- The Hebrew Hammer runs 81 minutes.
