Silent Night, Deadly Night(dir. Mike P. Nelson)

By: Dave Hughes

When the original Silent Night, Deadly Night hit theaters in 1984, it was hit with a wave of controversy and negativity surrounding the idea of having a character dressed up as Santa Claus committing acts of tremendous violence. Over time, the film did gather a cult following in the horror community. It became a staple of basement viewings, often used by friends to test the limits of what was thought to be scary. The film has now spawned a modern day retelling. Directed by Mike P. Nelson (Sweet Revenge, Wrong Turn), this new take on Silent Night, Deadly Night is a fun, not for everyone, remake that has all the elements of horror around the holidays to which fans of the genre will surely gravitate.

Starring Rohan Campbell (Halloween Ends), Silent Night, Deadly Night takes the main plot of the original and spins it to make it more fun, yet a bit less rooted in simple trauma. Campbell plays Billy Chapman, who still witnessed the brutal killing of his parents by someone in a Santa suit at a young age. Now an adult, his trauma manifests as a co-dependent inner voice named "Charlie," which guides him as he dons the red suit to become a vigilante (a Batman of sorts for the holiday season). While on the run and following his unique code of punishing only the truly "naughty," Billy meets Pamela Sims (played by Ruby Modine). Billy must now struggle to balance his burgeoning, dark romance with Pamela against the strict demands of Charlie and his Santa code.

Nelson’s previous works have shown audiences that there is always a dark sense of humor present. Silent Night, Deadly Night has its own fun sense of humor, one that may not appeal to all, but those that find humor in the macabre will surely appreciate what it has to offer. Much of this comedic dynamic comes from the arguments between Billy and his cynical, inner voice, "Charlie," which frequently debates the appropriate time, target, and style of the next murder. Nelson also offers a fantastic soundtrack to go along with the humor; the brutal scenes, when combined with famous Christmas songs are set up perfectly to make the audience chuckle quite a bit while simultaneously wincing at the gore on the screen. 

It should be no surprise that Silent Night, Deadly Night is not for the faint of heart. This film is unapologetically brutal and has some memorable scenes that showcase that brutality firsthand. It is quite surprising how far Billy is willing to go to follow his code but also attempt to find some humanity in his connection with Ruby. There is a strong sense that the television program Dexter (2006) provided some inspiration and ways to humanize Billy and make his actions more palatable to a general audience than the original was. 

Target Score: 7/10 Director Mike P. Nelson has another great horror film on his hands with Silent Night, Deadly Night, offering a fun, psychological and magical twist on the original premise and leaning into a twisted sense of humor. While the brutality is not for everyone, there is quite a bit for genre fans to enjoy this holiday season, making this remake a definite must-watch.