Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025), dir. Mike P. Nelson, Wonderwheel Entertainment
Huh. Not sure we needed another one, but why not at this point?
The story is already well known and told, but a recap. The Chapman family is driving through the countryside one dark and wintery eve when a man dressed as jolly Saint Nick approaches. Things go the same as the first time, although Billy (Logan Sawyer)'s mother manages to get in a decent hit on Santa (Mark Acheson) before dying.
Turns out the hit was deeper than either of them thought and Santa is bleeding out on that lonely stretch of road. Before he dies, Billy makes some kind of connection and through that Billy learns that his parents were naughty.
Specifically they murdered Billy's grandpa in order to get his money. With Santa now dead, Billy seems to have the visions now.
The Present Day
Billy (Rohan Campbell) is now a drifter, going from town to town. Every December, however, he hears the voice of Santa compelling him to track down 'the naughty' and punish them. Mostly via axes to the head.
As December begins, Billy arrives in the quant little burg of Hackett. A town so picturesque you almost expect Norman Rockwell to pop out from every corner. It's there he finds a job and love. The former is at Mr. Sims (David Lawrence Brown)'s gift shop. The latter is with Pam (Ruby Modine), Mr. Sims' daughter and only other employee.
Billy is a bit confused by the last part, Pam's ex-boyfriend Max (David Tomlinson) even more so. As the month goes by, Billy's body count rises, including the local neo-Nazi gang. Mr. Sims sadly is killed, shockingly not by Billy.
No, it seems there's another serial killer lurking about Hackett, someone the locals have dubbed 'the Snatcher'. He's been snatching kids left and right. Mr. Sims stumbles across the Snatcher's ride and pays for it. Billy feels for Pam and offers her a 'Christmas wish'. She accepts and soon the pair are hitting the street.
A different take at least, which I suppose is a good sign. Instead of rehashing the original only with more unlikable characters we get a different direction, although casting the slasher as a kind of superhero is a direction I didn't see coming.
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