FILM: Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) (dir: Mike P. Nelson, 2025)

"This...I did not expect."

This unexpected remake of the lurid and at-the-time controversial 1984 slasher takes its core ideas and offers something that is a bit different and surprisingly interesting.  It follows the story of Billy (Rohan Campbell, Corey from the divisive Halloween Ends), traumatised by witnessing the murder of his parents as a child and as an adult donning the Santa suit to mete out deadly vengeance on any wrong-doers, guided by an inner voice Venom-style.  Director/writer Mike P. Nelson obviously wants to give the material a more serious tone than the basic formula slasher original, as he did with his 2021 reboot of Wrong Turn, and his fusion of 80s cinematic stylings and more contemporary psychological shading makes it interesting to follow - the infamous 'antlers' moment makes an appearance, the original's shock schlock value here grounded in something more well-embedded and justified.  Rohan Campbell clearly has the tortured/haunted characterisation pinned down, but here he gives a notably well-thought-out performance that elevates Billy beyond a one-note serial killer and makes his journey and inner justifications more engaging and even sympathetic as a result.  Also of note is Ruby Modine as Pam, dealing with her own significant issues and traumas as his (rather quick) love interest in a sparky and well-balanced turn.  In adding depth and complexity to the simple slasher concept, the film can feel a little overstuffed with its fleeting hits at exploitation in the fostering system and the extreme right alongside elements of child kidnapping and spousal murder, but these are all there to service the overarching theme of everybody having hidden secrets and what lies beneath the surface (of individuals and of the town).  The film inevitably has moments of violence, and the Terrifier-squelch factor increases significantly in the final act.  Whilst far from perfect or indeed significant, this 2025 take on its minor slasher source material has a surprising amount to offer, it is rather well made and it is a lot more interesting than would be expected.