REVIEW: “Silent Night, Deadly Night” (2025)

The 1984 horror film “Silent Night, Deadly Night” was initially very controversial, with many groups objecting to its violent content featuring a Santa Claus killer. Despite the backlash, it developed a dedicated fan base, leading to four direct-to-video sequels and a reimagining in 2012. Now, the psychological slasher is being completely remade, just in time for the holidays.

Mike P. Nelson, the writer and director, offers a fresh take on the 1984 film. He revisits familiar characters, but dramatically changes their narratives, focusing on Billy Chapman (Rohan Campbell). When Billy was eight, he saw a disturbed man dressed as Santa Claus, named Charlie (Mark Acheson), violently kill his parents. Billy’s mother manages to seriously injure Charlie, and in the chaos, Billy touches the dying killer, with unexpected and frightening results.

Years have passed, and Billy now wanders from town to town, compelled by the voice of a man named Charlie who lives inside his head. What’s even more unsettling is that this voice commands him to kill someone each day for all 24 days leading up to Christmas, as part of a gruesome ritual linked to a disturbing advent calendar. To make things even more horrific, Billy commits these murders while dressed in a blood-covered Santa suit. The sinister voice constantly tells him, “Naughty boys get punished.”

The film takes an unexpected direction when Billy arrives in the quiet town of Hackett. At a local diner, he notices Pamela Sims, a captivating woman played by Ruby Modine. He follows her to her father’s Christmas shop, where David Lawrence Brown plays the owner. By now, the director has led us to believe a violent outburst is coming. Instead, Billy gets a job at the shop and quickly becomes infatuated with Pamela. However, as their relationship develops, Charlie’s voice resurfaces, reminding Billy of his dark impulses.

Revealing plot details would ruin the experience, so let’s just say Nelson takes big risks blending romance and horror. Surprisingly, he succeeds – not flawlessly, but more than you might anticipate. The story features several important revelations and unexpected twists that change everything. The romance feels genuine because Nelson develops his characters well, and the horror delivers the gruesome thrills slasher fans will enjoy.

Although “Silent Night, Deadly Night” is surprisingly enjoyable, it’s probably not going to become a classic holiday film. The plot feels rushed in places, and some of the characters could have been fleshed out more. However, it’s far from a bad movie. The director doesn’t simply copy other films; he brings a fresh perspective, mixing in shocking violence, a touching love story, dark comedy, and a clever understanding of the genre.

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2025-12-16 18:57