Silent Night, Deadly Night takes the cult festive franchise and gives it a clever modern-day makeover, in the process subverting both audience expectations and genre tropes.
The first Silent Night, Deadly Night movie hit screens in 1984 and was a Christmas slasher that launched a franchise that’s now a favorite amongst horror fans.
The original commenced in decidedly unpleasant fashion, before focussing on Billy Chapman, a troubled man whose deep-rooted trauma has resulted in him dressing up as Santa, and killing those he doesn’t like with an axe.
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As well as spawning four sequels, a loose remake followed in 2012 that changed things up, while this second remake is an equally worthwhile endeavour, for the many ways in which it toys with the audience and improves on the original.
What is Silent Night, Deadly Night about?
Cineverse
Silent Night, Deadly Night starts much like the original, with young Billy visiting his grandfather in a nursing home, who warns him that “naughty boys get punished,” and “Santa is always watching.”
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His family is then attacked at a stop light on the way home, though doubtless for reasons of good taste, his mother isn’t sexually assaulted in this version. Both parents are blown away with a shotgun, however right in front of the boy.
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The film then cuts to the present day, where grown-up Billy is still having nightmares about the events of that night. He’s also committing murders of his own, travelling from town-to-town throughout the month of December, and counting down his kills in a bloody Advent Calendar.
Billy decides to settle in a place called Hackett for a few days, where he lands a job at a gift shop called ‘Ida’s Trinket Tree,’ ostensibly because he has a crush on a woman who works there. But that throws a spanner in the works of his murderous plans, as does a spate of missing children in the area…
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Remake with a twist
The original Billy was clearly suffering from PTSD, both from what he witnessed as a child, and his brutal upbringing in an orphanage run by malevolent nuns.
This new Billy seems similarly driven by rage born during those parental murders, but there are times when it feels like jealousy might be triggering his psychotic episodes, or maybe even something more supernatural in nature.
But the big change in this iteration is that Billy hears a voice in his head, that encourages him, manipulates him, offers him advice, and even mocks him when Billy makes a mistake.
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That sense of humor means there are times when Silent Night, Deadly Night plays like a horror Venom, but it also suggests Billy might be suffering from Multiple Personality disorder; an issue that’s further complicated when the object of his affections admits to having an Explosive Personality Disorder of her own.
Santa v Santas
Cineverse
That’s the psychology at the heart of the movie, but let’s be honest, most people will be watching this one for Christmas kills, and the new Silent Night, Deadly Night delivers on that front.
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There are axes to the head, as you’d expect, while a montage of Billy’s early murders provides some violent variation.
But the best of the kills – and the finest scene in the movie – plays out at a Christmas party, the exact nature of which we won’t spoil here.
But it quickly turns the character into a genuine hero, while the sight of our Santa killing scores of other Santas is a festive feast for the eyes.
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Is Silent Night, Deadly Night good?
Cineverse
Silent Night, Deadly Night does a terrific job of paying homage to the past – yes, there is a “garbage day” callback – while doing something fresh and original for the present-day.
It’s tricky to reveal everything that’s going on here, but writer-director Mike P. Nelson keeps the film’s tongue placed firmly in its cheek, while he’s done a great job of re-imagining the franchise, and re-inventing Billy.
On that front, actor Rohan Campbell manages to make the serial killer sympathetic, in much the same way he did with the character of Corey Cunningham in Halloween Ends.
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While the film also ends with an inspired turn that perfectly sets up a sequel, and on this evidence, I very much hope we get Part 2 sooner rather than later.
Silent Night, Deadly Night score: 3/5
A fiendish and fun-filled remake that uses the good and leaves out the bad from the original, while taking the franchise in a wildly inventive new direction.
Silent Night, Deadly Night was reviewed at Fantastic Fest, and will hit screens on December 12, 2025. For more scary stuff, head here to check out our list of best horror movies ever.
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