"Who's excited to meet Santa?"
Intense. Brutal. Fun. Mike P. Nelson's Silent Night, Deadly Night, a reimagining of the controversial 1984 slasher, encompasses it all. And though many will shudder at the film's brazen violence and unapologetic gore, genre fans will revel in its candor.
Rohan Campbell stars as Billy, a young adult who, as a child, witnessed his parents' gruesome murder at the hands of a man in a Santa suit. Told through sporadically placed flashbacks, his origins lead him to roam the country in search of naughty individuals. Donning the red suit and wheeling a long axe, he's hellbent on a blood-rich massacre to nourish his need for justice.
Campbell, who played the controversial Corey Cunningham in David Gordon Green's highly polarizing Halloween Ends, continues to deepen his portrayal of a murderous psychopath, bringing an unexpected sense of quiet and control to Billy. His perspective enhances the character as we witness a man, plagued by the events of his childhood, act on his grief and trauma.
The film opens with Billy standing over a slain man in the bathtub. A haunting Advent calendar rests on the bed. It's the perfect setup for the next ninety minutes as viewers embark on a wild, terrifying ride, following the footsteps of a fierce killer who, in an effort to justify his actions, only targets naughty individuals.
The tongue-in-cheek approach to the holidays is loud. And dangerous. It provides a unique mix of comedy and horror. The blend, often tried, rarely successful, isn't perfect. But Nelson reins in the story when needed, offering viewers a unique perspective that is equally outlandish and controlled.
Ruby Modine costars as Pamela, a young true crime enthusiast who works at her dad's store in Oakhaven, Colorado. An evident love interest for Billy, Pamela is one of the nice ones. She takes Billy under her wing, showing him around town as he navigates his new terrain, working to uncover his list of players, breaking his own rules by overstaying for the sake of curiosity and interest.
When Pamela, who shows occasional moments of intense rage, introduces Billy to Delphine Anderson, it paves way for one of the most iconic film scenes you'll experience this year. A private event of sorts, Billy imposes his will on a Nazi holiday party, locking the only exit and leveling his ax into an abundance of nicely dressed, assumed wealthy individuals who, by all accounts, were designated as naughty.
It sets in motion a wild third act that sees both Billy and Pamela drop into a ball pit and battle a Santa-masked snatcher who, over the duration of the film, has been passively kidnapping children in the relatively small snowy town. The missing-person posters have caught Billy's attention, though we hear little of it until just before the final clash.
While there are always arguments over authenticity and mode of killing, Silent Night, Deadly Night is completely unbothered by its absurd premise and unrealistic elements. Audiences should expect the insanity. It is part of the brand. But it's also part of the legacy.
Though Nelson, whose previous credits include Wrong Turn and V/H/S/85, allows select, likely expensive kill sequences to happen off-screen, there is enough shown to please even the most merciless genre critic. True, the film isn't perfect. But stellar casting helps to overcome any plot and pacing issues. It also allows Silent Night, Deadly Night to forgo mainstream expectations, serving up a fun and entertaining holiday butchery that is the perfect counter-programming to everything else currently playing.
