Superior horror remake Silent Night, Deadly Night is the ideal alternative Christmas movie

by

The 1984 slasher film Silent Night, Deadly Night has a dedicated following, and filmmakers feel comfortable putting their own spin on it. There have already been attempts to remake it – a fairly loose one in 2012, and even more loosely, Christmas Bloody Christmas in 2022, which began as a remake but ultimately diverged too much from the original to be considered one.

When revisiting a classic story, the key is to offer a fresh take while still honoring the original. A simple copy isn’t desirable, especially in horror – audiences need surprises, and a predictable remake just isn’t scary.

The film Silent Night, Deadly Night takes a dark premise – a boy whose parents were murdered by someone dressed as Santa Claus grows up to become a killer dressed as Santa – and surprisingly transforms it into something resembling a feel-good Christmas movie, though with a twisted edge.

What to Read Next

The small-town setting and the love story between Billy and Pamela feel very familiar – like something you’d see in a Hallmark movie. However, this story has a dark twist: Billy occasionally commits violent acts. Surprisingly, this unusual mix of romance and brutality actually works quite well.

We’re not saying Silent Night, Deadly Night is a flawless film – the first one wasn’t either. And if you’re hoping for the extreme gore of Terrifier 3, you’ll find this movie falls short. Terrifier 3‘s opening minutes alone are more shocking than anything in this entire film.

If you’re looking for a different kind of Christmas movie this year, Silent Night, Deadly Night could be just what you need.

This movie isn’t really a remake; it’s more of a fresh take on the original. It includes enough references to the first film – like the memorable death by antlers – to please longtime fans. However, this time around, Billy embarks on a completely different killing spree, targeting a group of Nazis dressed as Santa Claus. It’s a darkly humorous twist on the classic ‘White Christmas’ theme, and it’s sure to be satisfying.

Mike P. Nelson’s film tries to juggle a lot – including a storyline about missing children and a bizarre advent calendar that stops people from dying – all within a relatively short runtime. While everything eventually connects, the movie would have benefited from focusing more on the killer’s actions.

A significant improvement comes from giving Billy the voice of Charlie, the man who killed his parents. In a fun holiday twist, Charlie is played by Mark Acheson, known for his role in Elf and as the Mailroom Guy. Charlie acts as Billy’s guide, telling him who’s been good or bad. This adds a humorous element to the story – it’s similar to the dynamic between Dexter and his inner voice, but with a Christmas theme – making it more likely you’ll find it funny than disturbing.

Okay, so I think the biggest complaint horror fans might have about this movie is the gore. It’s coming out from the same people who did Terrifier 3, and it’s unrated, so everyone expects something extreme. And yeah, there’s plenty of blood and body parts flying around, but honestly, it doesn’t quite reach the level of crazy stuff Art the Clown was doing in the last one. It’s got gore, just maybe not as much as some of us were bracing for.

If you go into Silent Night, Deadly Night expecting a typical, heartwarming Christmas movie, you might be surprised. But if you’re open to something a little different – and a bit darker – you’ll probably enjoy it. It’s definitely not a Hallmark film, but it’s a good choice if you want to avoid cheesy holiday fare.

Silent Night, Deadly Night is in cinemas now.

Enjoy the holidays with the Good Housekeeping Christmas TV Guide! It’s packed with 14 days of listings to help you plan your festive viewing, and it’s available now for just £4.75 at Morrisons, TG Jones, and other magazine retailers.

Read More

2025-12-12 10:21