Silent Night, Deadly Night

I didn't go in expecting much. I was expecting just another bad remake. Was I ever delighted to see that the film had an interesting plot and tried to do some character building and camp (LOTS of it) done really well. It had everything a good bad horror film needed and was tremendously entertaining while being simultaneously interesting and somehow even touching. All while serving up the guts and gore too!

What an unusual little movie this turned out to be. First of all, I'm not sure if the IMDb synopsis is entirely accurate. That wasn't really what the film was about. Secondly, most people aren't going to realise that because the film waits until damn near the end to actually explain what is happening and why. It's all very odd.

Putting "From the studio that brought you Terrifier 2 & 3" on your movie poster is an odd choice to me for this film. Maybe it will get some bums on seats, but it sort of misleads you into thinking there will be some creativity with the kills, which there is certainly not. You can only see so many people chopped by an axe before it becomes very mundane. There was even a scene where it's discussed if he should use a gun instead, and I thought to myself that at this point that may be a more interesting option.

A horror film based around bad people getting their justice in a brutal way is almost certainly a film that can be made to work, but 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' went about it all the wrong way I think. It needed to make clearer earlier on exactly what was happening and why. It needed more tension and more adversity for the lead character. And it needed more creativity with the kills. Get those right and this could've been something special. Maybe they will the next time this is remade. 5/10.

No pun intended - full disclosure: I have never watched the other slasher movies ... this being a remake! A friend of mine was with me and he has seen the first two (with him telling me that he loathed the second one) ... and generally he confirmed that this is the best version of the .. well "story" of them all (I doubt the other Silent Nights were better than the original, let alone this one).

It starts off slow and feels a bit ... off, but it is here to stay ... and character build ... and consume (or merge if you will). There is supernatural in this - it has to be. But the movie works because of the actors and the gore ... so if you like your blood stained (splattered) movie to have some weight and gravitas ... this is one of those cases! It is a bit predictable ... and you may hear voices (no pun intended), but they know best ... well almost all of the time! Now be nice ... or else ...

Billy witnesses his parents being murdered by a man in a Santa Claus suit. Years later, that man, Charlie shows Billy the "way".

Billy takes care of the "trash" with the help of Charlie. Charlie shows him who is truly evil and together they murder evil people during Advent.

Billy takes a liking to a gal, Pam in his most recent community so he decides to stay awhile. Lucky for him Pam's a bit crazy too!

This isn't too bad. There's still plenty of gore for the horror hounds.

Any horror fan has a soft spot for Christmas-set slashers. I went into this reboot of Silent Night, Deadly Night with low expectations, mostly because the trailer made it look like a very mediocre production. Thankfully, the film knows exactly what it is and rarely tries to be more than that. Most of the time, it fully embraces a campy and absurd tone, and that is precisely where its strength lies.

The plot is simple. We follow a serial killer who murders people during the Christmas season, each kill linked to a mysterious advent calendar. After the second half, however, this concept gains an unexpectedly interesting layer. I honestly did not see that small narrative turn coming, and it ended up being the most engaging part of the film. Without spoilers, the story subtly gives the killer an internal logic that almost pushes him into anti hero territory, without ever lazily justifying or glorifying his actions.

I rarely enjoy horror films told from the villain's perspective, but director Mike P. Nelson manages to keep a healthy distance. The killer is developed, but never idolized in the wrong way. Billy, played by Rohan Campbell, is violent and genuinely threatening, and far more effective than his villain role in Halloween Ends. On the other side, Ruby Modine plays an apparent final girl whose behavior constantly raises suspicion and keeps the audience guessing about her true intentions.

For gore fans, there is blood, although I expected more. Considering the film is associated with the same studio behind Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3, I was hoping for something more graphic and extreme. Still, it delivers enough violent moments to satisfy viewers looking for a raw and aggressive edge.

Silent Night, Deadly Night is not a great film and it does not reinvent Christmas horror. But it never promised to. It is a simple, self aware slasher that stays engaging and knows when to throw in a small twist to pull you back in. In the end, it feels like a fun, unapologetically campy horror film. And sometimes, that is more than enough.