Tis the season for blood and violence...
Writer/ Director Mike P. Nelson takes the magic and innocence of Santa and twists it into a dark and menacing Christmas story which is absolutely not suitable for children in his entertainingly demented re-imagining of the 1984 cult classic ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’.
The film stars Rohan Campbell as Billy Chapman, a troubled young man who – as a child – witnessed the brutal murder of his parents at the hands of a stranger in a Santa Suit. Years later, Billy dons a Santa suit of his own and wanders from town to town, counting down the days of December and leaving a bloody trail in his wake.
Campbell is eerily unnerving as Billy, delivering a performance that perfectly captures the competing dualities of his character. With his hardened stare and intense, deliberate movements Billy gives off an unsettling vibe that would have you crossing the street to avoid him.
Yet his social awkwardness reveals a deeply wounded young man who just wants to be loved and Campbell’s ability to switch effortlessly between the two extremes makes it hard to dislike Billy, despite his horrifying actions.
Rohan Campbell
Ruby Modine brings an unexpected touch of romance to the film as Billy’s love interest Pamela Sims, a passionate yet erratic young woman whose own demons may just prove to be Billy’s salvation.
Mark Acheson rises to the challenge as Charlie, a character whose presence is vital to the storyline despite having very little screen time. David Tomlinson brings an added sense of menace to the film as Max while David Lawrence Brown delivers a simple, yet heart-warming performance as Mr Sims.
While technically classified as a horror/ slasher, the film draws inspiration from multiple genres; expertly fusing subtle elements of paranormal, with cringe worthy moments of comedy and most surprising of all, romance to add an unexpected layer of depth to an otherwise blood thirsty and gruesome film.
Each kill has the brutality one would expect from a good slasher, yet the excessive amount of violence and blood never feels gratuitous.
Nelson’s cleverly written script allows him to drip feed vital information to the audience without sacrificing the flow of the story or testing audience’s patience and this; combined with his choice to use flashbacks or lightning-fast glimpses of possible futures and subtle camera reveals sets the audience up for more than one surprise. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, another plot twist sent the film spiralling in a new direction.
Thoroughly entertaining, ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ puts a sinister new spin on a beloved family holiday and it has the potential to replace ‘Die Hard’ as the traditional Christmas film for adults.
