Silent Night, Deadly Night (FANTASTIC) is One Naughty Little Christmas Slasher
Title: Silent Night, Deadly Night
First Non-Festival Release: December 11, 2025 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Mike P. Nelson
Writer: Mike P. Nelson
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Starring: March Acheson, Rohan Campbell, Ruby Modine
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2025.
The Christmas spirit is alive and well within many a folks, but does that mean that everyone truly understands the meaning of the holidays? People who mask as pillars of society can often have dark secrets lying within their past. Thankfully, Billy Chapman is here to help with that.
Long after losing his parents to a serial killer (Mark Acheson) dressed like Santa Claus, Billy (Rohan Campbell) continues his work after a supernatural event merges their consciences together, naming the new voice in his head, Charlie. Years later, Billy is drifting through another town when he sees Pam (Ruby Modine) and decides to stay. His life seemingly turns around after he gets a job at the same store she works at and they start to get to know each other. Meanwhile, Billy is still compelled to carry out Charlie’s work during the holidays.
Delightfully simple yet fun slasher remake Silent Night, Deadly Night trades 80s sleaze for 20s earnestness.
This sojourn into Christmastime cheer gets off to a tricky start that never allows it to fully recover. Silent Night, Deadly Night tends to over-explain what can best be left to audience interpretation, as it gets repetitive and slows down the action. Leaning heavily into Charlie’s character to keep the action going, Silent Night, Deadly Night gets stuck in a pattern that continues throughout its killing spree. Billy and Charlie disagree about their respective approaches to killing and how appropriate it is to get close to others during the holidays, they kill a target with no or little issues, and then they bicker over the results until the cycle repeats. The stagnant action drags down the pacing, turning what should be a lean slasher into a directionless jaunt punctuated by bloody kills and cheeky one-liners.
Billy remains a fun character even if he lacks enough mystery to make him truly compelling. Fans of the original film will appreciate that Billy doesn’t compromise on his vision, even if he takes a less unhinged approach than the original. In the 2025 iteration, Billy is just as sweet but there’s more of a method behind his madness. This does tend to enter over-explanation territory, but it never goes too far. Most of the logistics go unexplained but a few intentional scenes and pieces of dialogue do enough to take shape in the audience’s mind.
Rohan Campbell and Ruby Modine play off each other well, giving solid performances for their similarly explosive personalities, even if their expression of anger is different. Already visible due to his [strangely controversial] performance in Halloween Ends, Campbell is back again to put a spin on a beloved horror icon. This time, however, it’ll likely be better received. Billy’s charm is undeniable thanks to Campbell’s earnestness and screen presence. Modine also brings an intensity that adds an element of uncertainty to the film. Allowing every spark of her firecracker personality to shine through, Modine imbues enough vulnerability and ferocity into Pam to make her growth genuine and interesting. These talented young actors make Silent Night, Deadly Night work when it otherwise would crumble under the weight of its own story.
The biggest criticism of the remake boils down to how safe it plays it with respect to the violence, scares, and aesthetics. Boasting a variety of kills, the slasher elements are present but never feel quite grand enough in scale, minus one particularly well-executed scene at a party in the middle of nowhere. The issue lies in how it builds to these moments. Lacking much tension, Silent Night, Deadly Night speeds through its scariest moments. The film’s light approach to the horror allows its campier elements to shine at the expense of its scares. It can be hard to shake off the pseudo-Hallmark sheen but Silent Night, Deadly Night is amusing enough to forgive.
There might be a mixed bag of goodies for fans of the original and novices alike in Silent Night, Deadly Night, but that doesn’t mean that the treats aren’t sweet. Goofy kills and one-liners are a plenty, leaning into the charm of the franchise. It doesn’t revolutionize the slasher setup but delivers a fun enough experience to win over genre fans. Don’t be naughty this holiday season and make plans to watch Silent Night, Deadly Night in theaters this December.
Overall Score? 6/10
