Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) Review

Christmas is said to be the most wonderful time of the year. A season of goodwill, forced cheer and aggressively jingled joy. It’s also one of horror’s most fertile settings. From ‘Gremlins,’ to ‘Black Christmas’, and even the most recent addition in the ‘Terrifier’ series, blood has flowed like eggnog. The appeal lies in the clash: warmth and joy colliding with violence and dread. Christmas promises togetherness and safety; horror tears those promises apart.

Charles E. Sellier Jr.’s Santa-slasher ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ was released in 1984 to a critical lambasting. Siskel and Ebert gave the flick two thumbs way down, while Roxanne T. Mueller called it “a sleazy, miserable, insulting, worthless, exploitative piece of garbage.” Leonard Maltin treated the “worthless splatter film” as a kind of cultural blasphemy, asking “what's next, the Easter Bunny as a child molester?"

Clearly, Mike P. Nelson did not agree. His 2025 remake, creatively titled ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night,’ roughly follows the same story as Sellier’s original, centring on a young man named Billy Chapman. As a boy, he witnessed the murder of his parents by a man dressed like Santa Claus. Years later, tormented by a lethal cocktail of grief and rage, he himself dons a Santa suit and takes up an axe, convinced the naughty deserve much more than coal.

Whereas the original was “so bad it’s good,” Nelson’s remake is just, well, good. The film is tongue-in-cheek, occasionally funny and surprisingly nuanced, avoiding a lot of the clichés and hackneyed tropes one might expect from a Santa-slasher. Nelson clearly loves B-movie horror- a nod to Nicholas Webster’s ‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’ flickers on a TV early on- and that affection shows in every frame. It’s a violent film, for sure, but there’s more to it.

Nelson’s characterization is strong. The relationship that forms between Billy and Pamela, an eccentric, volatile girl he meets in the aptly named town of Hackett, is unexpectedly tender- a romance between two misfits that blossoms amidst bloodshed. Their moments together ring true, while the exchanges between Billy and Charlie, the sardonic voice in his head (reminiscent of Riggan and the voice in his from ‘Birdman’), are snappy and sharp. Beneath the murderous thrills, the film carries subtle undercurrents of trauma and grief, exploring how the past continues to shape Billy’s actions and his tenuous grasp on morality.

Gory and energetic, the film is awash in a sea of claret. Yet, not all of its most effective scenes rely on bloodshed. One short but memorable sequence involves Pamela and her abusive ex-boyfriend, a cop, in an interrogation room. The insidious threat of violence and imbalance of power between them proves far scarier than any axe-wielding rampage. Nelson’s restraint there, paired with smart pacing and composition, shows his skill as a director beyond just butchery.

Having said that, the narrative isn’t unpredictable, some of the dialogue is quite stilted and there’s a supernatural element that isn’t strictly necessary. Still, the film as a whole works- and bloody well. This is due in large part to the striking work of the technical team. A solid balance between practical effects and CGI is struck, with some great, gruesome bits of gore on show (though some sequences could have been harsher). Director of photography Nick Junkersfeld shoots stylishly. He makes colours really pop and his dynamic camera movements fully immerse the viewer in Hackett’s sinister streets.

The film contains some memorable imagery: blood splattered on a Santa figurine, a white power Christmas party, the seedy underground ball pit of a child-snatcher. All linger after the credits roll- a testament to sharp production design and careful framing. Geoff Klein’s editing keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace, while the soundtrack- a clever mix of classic Christmas songs set against the carnage, complemented by a moody original score- amplifies both tension and dark humour.

Rohan Campbell makes for a compelling Billy- you like him, even when you probably shouldn’t. He brings depth to a character defined by trauma and murderous impulses, which could easily have been misjudged or overplayed. As Charlie, Mark Acheson is terrific, his gravelly delivery emotive and perfectly pitched, while Ruby Modine shines as Pamela, bringing charm and unpredictability to the role, sharing a believable chemistry with Campbell.

Siskel and Ebert probably wouldn’t have given it two thumbs up- they weren’t massive fans of gory horrors, especially when children were involved- but Mike P. Nelson’s ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ shows that a Santa-slasher can be smart, satisfying and surprisingly thoughtful. At 96 minutes long, it doesn’t outstay its welcome, and is well-written and acted. With striking visuals and an atmospheric score, it’s a Holly Jolly Christmas treat. So, watch it- and be good for goodness’ sake, especially if Billy is around.