The Wasteland Reviewer

Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) Written Review

Who is ready for a new Christmas/horror remake just in time for the holiday season? Silent Night, Deadly Night is a lean, cult classic holiday horror that captured attention back in the 1980s. A young boy is affected by the murder of his parents right in front of him and grows up to be a serial killer dressed up like Santa Claus. Not the most refined of films, this is the type of film with a compelling premise that could benefit from a remake (which is quite seldom compared to how many remakes we are inundated by. For this 2025 flick, director Mike P. Nelson takes this interesting concept and injects some supernatural elements and quite the bloody edge. This is a new door into some yuletide slaughter. 

How does Nelson bring this new holiday horror remake to life? From a filmmaking standpoint, there is a grim and quite basic visual palette. You are not going to find anything vibrant, bright, or rich in color in Silent Night, Deadly Night…but you will certainly find plenty of red. Blood. Guts. Christmas cheer. Santa. There are plenty of opportunities for red throughout the film and it is probably the most distinctive element that Nelson injects into the film. Nelson does a fine job in capturing the holiday vibes though with plenty of shots that are lit with Christmas lights. There are some dynamic camera shots in the film though including quite the impactful sequence that sees the death of a beloved character and a long take to explore the home and all the grief occurring. This film is just over 90 minutes, but Nelson makes sure there is some sharp-pacing and energy to keep it going. There are some standout elements including a bloody, wild montage of our protagonist’s murderous exploits. Blood and guts lean into practical effects quite often and Silent Night, Deadly Night certainly benefits. 

How does Nelson’s adaptation of Silent Night, Deadly Night stand out? There is a choice to explain our protagonist (Billy) and his second voice in his head through some chilling supernatural elements. This was an effective one that allowed Billy to build an interesting dynamic with his second internal voice. It opens the door for some interesting lore that sets up the story as well as some framework for future stories. There is some surprisingly effective romance in the film between Billy (Rohan Campbell) and Pamela (Ruby Modine) that find these two wayward young folks who have violence in their lives. The evolution of their connection and where it goes at the end of the film is quite impressive. There are plenty of familiar beats in Silent Night, Deadly Night that feel overly familiar or predictable, but Nelson finds some added elements to keep the story interesting. There are some seriously dark twists and turns in Nelson’s film which will certainly put the audience on edge and challenge them in some morally gray spaces. There are a few standout characters even if many of them feel like they cannot break from their lane

How does the cast bring this holiday horror to life? Campbell is a rock-solid leading man who makes the character of Billy more layered through his haunting and intense work presence. Campbell does a great job of portraying the more grounded elements of his nervous and shy character. His commitment to the nervous character who constantly speaks to “himself” is admirable. He might not have the biggest personality, but Campbell delivers plenty. Modine channels an interesting mix of cool girl-next-door energy with a much darker edge that makes Pamela such an interesting and essential piece to the story. Modine digs deep and delivers some surprises out there and some are making their way over. Mostly a voice performance, Mark Acheson leaves an impact in the film as the voice that floats in Billy’s head and gives him a mixture of twisted directions and thoughtful advice. His deep, booming voice is a perfect match for watching the voice performance calls for. The rest of the cast is mostly strong with some authentic small town character work that makes this slasher flick feel a little bit more lived in. 

Is Silent Night, Deadly Night a fun and engaging remake just in time for the holiday cheer? This film takes an interesting idea and runs with it in some solid directions that flesh out the story in new ways. Nelson does not skimp out on the blood and guts which checks plenty of boxes for the horror crowd seeking out such a film. There are some uneven elements sprinkled throughout the film but overall, Nelson tells a compelling and twisted story. There is plenty of space for future stories to come and moments to stick with you long after those credits start rolling.