SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT Review: Fun, Bloody, and Surprising Christmas Slasher

No one could have expected the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise to still be going over four decades after the first film's controversial arrival in 1984. A slasher about a crazy man dressed as Santa Claus is a solid horror movie setup, but how much mileage is there, really, in that idea?

The secret, it turns out, was to milk the setup dry across three films of varied quality, divert into wholly unrelated stories for the next two films, and then return to the core concept with two unrelated reboots. It's quite the journey, but 41 years after the original hit theaters, the franchise finally has a legitimately great entry in the form of a bloody horror/comedy with wit.

Little Billy and his parents are driving home after visiting his brain-addled grandfather, but the trip is cut short when a madman dressed as Santa Claus shoots his father and mother dead. Years later, the now grown Billy (Rohan Campbell) is a drifter who wanders the country like a maniacal Jack Reacher, killing people in the 24 days leading up to Christmas. A voice in his head guides his hand as he dons his Santa suit and doles out bloody murder, but there's more to the killings than pure homicidal Christmas glee.

To say more would spoil some of the fun that writer/director Mike P. Nelson has giftwrapped for viewers, but just know that the new Silent Night, Deadly Night delivers the expected goods of the franchise -- a killer dressed like Santa, bloody demises, a few more nods to previous films -- while also being a smart, playful, gory, and glossy good time.

The voice in Billy's head has its own backstory, and it provides some of the film's humor as it advises its host to do some things and absolutely not do others. The latter is best represented in a scene where Billy is playing Santa for some kids and resisting the urge to slice and dice the youngsters. Nelson's script is funny without leaning into broad comedy, and his Billy is as likeable as a bloodthirsty killer can be. Those familiar with Dexter will think of his Dark Passenger, and that's not far off, but here the voice is more purposeful and informed.

Nelson previously rebooted the Wrong Turn franchise, which he also shook up a bit on the narrative front, but what falls flat there sparks with life here. If anything, Silent Night, Deadly Night is a bit overstuffed with new ideas and executions, but Nelson ultimately keeps control all the way to a smile-worthy conclusion.

Similarly, Campbell played a pivotal role in the final entry of the recent Halloween trilogy, Halloween Ends, that is just a misfire on all counts. His acting was never the issue, though, so it's good seeing him tackle something similar with a far better script backing him up.

Nelson and cinematographer Nick Junkersfeld deliver a good-looking film, too, with attractive exteriors and colorful closeups capturing the carnage. The practical gore is marred at times with cg blood, but the film's successes elsewhere make it forgivable. Ruby Modine is along for the ride too as a possible romantic interest with her own anger issues, and her charm and talent help turn the film into something of a sweetly messed-up buddy comedy.

Silent Night, Deadly Night is an unexpected gift for fans of slashers, franchise reboots, bloody rom-coms, and more. Every kill entertains -- especially when Billy winds up his ax at a secret white power Christmas party -- as does every new reveal. Past entries in the film series have found varying degrees of entertainment, but Nelson delivers a film that's just good fun from start to finish. That's definitely not what anyone could have predicted after seeing the mean little franchise starter 40 years ago.

The film is now playing, only in movie theaters, via Iconic Movie Releasing. Visit their official site for locations and showtimes.