‘More Christmas Movies Should Start With Bloody Vomit.’ Silent Night, Deadly Night Remake Shows Critics A ‘Jolly, Bloody’ Good Time

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Sometimes, a scary movie is a welcome change from all the traditional Christmas films. After a while, all the cheerful greetings and eggnog can get a bit much – a little bit of horror, like a menacing Santa, can be a refreshing break! Recently, critics got a sneak peek at Silent Night, Deadly Night, which will be released in theaters on December 12th.

The 2023 film Silent Night, Deadly Night is a reimagining of the controversial 1984 Christmas horror movie that launched a series of sequels. Fans have wanted a revival for years. The story follows Billy Chapman (Rohan Campbell), who witnessed the murder of his parents by a Santa Claus figure as a child. He later becomes a killer himself, dressing as Santa. Kim Newman from Empire praised the fresh approach taken by writer/director Mike P. Nelson, giving the film 3 out of 5 stars and noting that…

This horror movie has everything you want for a spooky season watch: chilling scares, building tension, clever humor, characters you’ll root for, and satisfying comeuppance for the villains.

Rachel Weber at IGN rated the film a 7 out of 10, calling it “Good.” She confessed to laughing out loud at the ending, describing the moment Billy defeats the villains as delightfully wicked – a “coal in their stockings” kind of feeling. Weber’s review has definitely piqued my interest, and I’m curious to see more.

I think Christmas movies need to be more shocking – ideally, starting with something truly disturbing. I didn’t expect much from this new Santa story, since it was a remake of a pretty dull 1984 film. But when a villainous hockey mom met a gruesome end with an axe, I instantly became invested.

Cody Dericks from Next Best Picture rated the movie a 6 out of 10, and like many other critics, believes the changes made to the original story are a positive step. He especially appreciated the humorous chapter titles, the unsettling editing, and Billy’s creative use of everyday objects as weapons. Dericks went on to say:

Let’s be honest, this movie doesn’t try to be anything it’s not, and it knows exactly who will enjoy it. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably already interested in a fun, violent film – and if that’s the case, you’ll likely love this. Add ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ to your watchlist! It’s not a cinematic masterpiece, but like a stocking full of candy, it doesn’t need to be – it’s pure, enjoyable fun for those who want it.

Collider’s Shawn Van Horn praises Rohan Campbell’s performance as Billy Chapman, but notes the character feels too similar to Campbell’s previous role in Halloween Ends, even repeating some of the same plot points. Van Horn also finds the film overly exaggerated and cartoonish, describing the violent scenes—involving a unique Santa Claus—as reminiscent of the John Wick franchise. He gives the movie a rating of 5 out of 10, stating:

The biggest issue with the recent Silent Night, Deadly Night remake is that it feels very similar to Halloween Ends – it just swaps a white mask for a Santa suit. It makes you wonder if the actor was chosen because he’d played a comparable role before. The original 1984 film showed Billy suffering abuse at an orphanage, ultimately leading to a breakdown after dressing as Santa. While this new version deserves credit for trying something different, it’s disappointing how much it borrows from another movie without much originality.

I recently read a review by Simon Abrams at RogerEbert.com about Silent Night, Deadly Night, and he really wasn’t impressed with the main character, Billy. He felt the movie seemed to rely too much on the audience finding Billy sympathetic, which didn’t quite work for him. He ended up giving it only 1.5 stars out of 4, and here’s what he had to say…

Films like Silent Night, Deadly Night often feel like they just exist to show one gruesome kill after another, and this movie is no different – it doesn’t offer anything new or exciting. The most impressive murder scene is actually featured in the trailers, so there are no surprises. The characters who die don’t feel important beyond simply giving the killer a reason to act, and I found myself unable to connect with him. The action sequences are uninspired, and each death feels more predictable and bland than the last.

Critics generally seem to like this horror remake, giving it an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many appreciate the changes made from the original, even though the premise of punishing wrongdoers feels similar to the show Dexter, and it may not be as frightening as the first film.

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2025-12-12 22:09