Silent Night, Deadly Night Review: Christmas Slasher Remake Is a Mixed Bag

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A remake of a cult classic has arrived, and it’s surprisingly different. The original film, released forty years ago, followed Billy (Robert Brian Wilson) as he terrorized people he deemed sexually immoral, deliberately aiming to shock religious viewers. But this new version of the film presents Billy (Rohan Campbell) as something of an advocate for progressive values? While both movies share a similar basic plot, they offer a fascinating look at how horror films have changed with the times.

The original film embodied the spirit of the mid-1980s and a focus on limited government, but Mike P. Nelson’s updated version is much darker. It focuses on the evil that lurks beneath a friendly facade – those who seem like good neighbors but secretly harbor sinister intentions. While we might all put on a cheerful face during the holidays, this film suggests some people are hiding truly disturbing behavior. Like the characters in shows like Dexter, the killer in this film only targets terrible people. And like Venom, he’s driven by an internal voice with unclear motives – is it a mental illness, or something else, like Santa Claus himself? Either way, some truly awful people are going to meet a violent end.

This Reimagined Cult Classic is a Solid Update, Yet Plagued by Frustrating Inconsistencies.

Nelson’s movie also starts with Billy seeing his parents brutally murdered by a killer dressed as Santa, but this version avoids any sexual content. The killer is simply a janitor at Billy’s grandfather’s care facility. Mark Acheson plays Charlie, who shoots Billy’s parents with a shotgun on a deserted, cold road, and the motive remains a mystery. Twenty years later, Billy is a troubled man constantly running from his past and haunted by a voice – also played by Acheson.

Billy is a serial killer, targeting and murdering a different person each day during the Christmas season. He collects a small amount of blood from each victim, using it to create a disturbing advent calendar. While it’s not entirely clear how he chooses his victims, a voice named Charlie seems to be the driving force behind the selection process. Billy arrives in the small town of Hackett and quickly becomes friendly with Pamela and her father, who owns a Christmas shop. If it weren’t for the murders, their relationship could easily be mistaken for a heartwarming holiday romance.

Despite Billy already having killed several people, Pamela actually appears more threatening. She’s easily angered and acts without thinking, and she seems to connect with Billy because they both struggle with inner pain. During one incident, she brings Billy to a hockey practice and violently attacks two boys who were bullying her niece.

They fall in love quickly, but Billy continues his strange daily ritual of choosing someone to be a ‘sacrifice’ to the Christmas Gods – a backstory that’s hinted at but never fully explained. The film tries to do a lot, and while it adds some interesting layers, it doesn’t quite come together as smoothly as the director intends, likely because of the short timeframe – only five days before Christmas. Classic 80s slasher films worked because they stuck to a simple formula of revenge, but this movie gets more complicated. This added depth is interesting, but it also takes away from what most viewers are probably expecting: the violence.

At its core, this is a story about a deeply troubled man who commits violent acts while disguised as Santa Claus. He’s essentially a grown man who never matured, and his actions are rooted in trauma.

The show moves at a deliberate, slow pace until a surprisingly violent and entertaining scene. This moment feels jarring compared to the generally bleak and serious tone of the series – and honestly, the show looks quite dark, likely due to budget constraints with the lighting. Like Twin Peaks, the town of Hackett feels full of hidden secrets that everyone seems determined to ignore, possibly even the presence of a child abductor.

The movie Silent Night, Deadly Night is most enjoyable when it embraces its campy, low-budget roots. It struggles when it tries to be overly serious, considering the premise – a troubled young man killing people with an axe while dressed as Santa. While the remake features some impressive kills, it’s ironically hampered by its attempt to give the story deeper meaning. Ultimately, the most satisfying interpretation is the simplest: the holidays can be awful, and sometimes you just need to vent that frustration – even if it’s on some bad guys.

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2025-12-05 23:39