Silent Night 2012 Review: Santa Brought an Axe and a Flamethrower
My Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ 3.7/5
A small town on Christmas Eve.
A parade full of Santas.
One of them is not here to hand out candy canes.
And he has a very long naughty list.
Welcome to our Silent Night 2012 Review. This is the loose remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night, starring Malcolm McDowell and Jaime King. It is mean, bloody, and a lot more fun than I expected.
This Silent Night 2012 Review is spoiler free. I will cover the setup, the cast, the kills, and the cheap Santa suits. Who is behind the mask stays a mystery.
Silent Night 2012 Review: A Killer Santa Comes to Wisconsin
Steven C. Miller directed Silent Night. Jayson Rothwell wrote the screenplay. The film is based on the 1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night.
Anchor Bay gave it a limited theatrical release on November 30, 2012. It opened in just 11 theaters. Four days later, on December 4, it hit DVD and Blu-ray.
The story is set in a little town called Cryer, Wisconsin. That makes it a Midwest Christmas movie, and I was happy to see it. Small towns, snow, and a holiday parade feel right at home to us here in Iowa.
This is a remake in name more than in story. There is no Billy Chapman here. There is no orphanage. Instead, you get a whodunit with a body count.
And honestly, that works. It gives the film its own personality instead of just copying the original.
The Story Setup
It is Christmas Eve in Cryer. The town is getting ready for its big holiday parade. Santas are everywhere.
Then a man in a Santa suit and a creepy mask starts killing people. He seems to have a list. He is going after the folks he thinks have been naughty.
Sheriff Cooper is in charge. He calls in Deputy Aubrey Bradimore on her day off. Aubrey is new on the job and still grieving a recent loss.
Soon the bodies start piling up. Cooper decides to keep the killings from the mayor until the case is solved. Meanwhile, the parade rolls closer.
The problem is simple. How do you find one bad Santa in a town full of Santas?
That is all the story you get from me. The fun is in the hunt, the suspects, and the many grisly surprises along the way.
The Cast of Silent Night
For a small horror remake, this cast is surprisingly strong.
Malcolm McDowell plays Sheriff James Cooper. He became a screen legend as Alex in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange in 1971. Horror fans also know him as Dr. Loomis in Rob Zombie’s Halloween from 2007.
Jaime King plays Deputy Aubrey Bradimore. She was in Sin City and the 2009 slasher My Bloody Valentine 3D.
Donal Logue plays Jim Epstein, a Santa known around town as Santa Jim. He had appeared in Shark Night 3D and as Detective Harvey Bullock on the DC Comics adaptation Gotham.
Ellen Wong plays Brenda. Movie fans may know her from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Brendan Fehr plays Deputy Jordan. He was in the original Final Destination.
Lisa Marie plays Hilary Morwood. She appeared in Sleepy Hollow and Ed Wood as Vampira.
Courtney-Jane White plays Tiffany Revie.
Cortney Palm plays Maria.
John B. Lowe plays Hank Bradimore.
Andrew Cecon plays Deputy Stanley Giles.
Aaron Hughes plays Frank Forester.
Mike O’Brien plays Stein Karsson, another of the town’s Santas.
Tom Anniko plays Mayor Revie.
Curtis Moore plays Reverend Madeley.
Rick Skene, a Winnipeg actor and stuntman, plays the masked killer Santa.
Malcolm McDowell is the main reason to watch. He plays Cooper as a cranky, stubborn, old school sheriff. He barks orders, cracks wise, and seems to be having the time of his life.
One of his best moments involves a burger. Without giving it away, let’s just say Sheriff Cooper does not want avocado on it. It is a silly little bit, and McDowell sells it like Shakespeare.
Jaime King gives the film its heart. Aubrey is sad, determined, and smarter than everyone gives her credit for. She plays it straight, and that grounds the movie.
Donal Logue is a hoot as Santa Jim. He is crude, rude, and about as far from jolly as a Santa can get. With a guy like that in a red suit, it is easy to start wondering.
The Cheap Santa Suits
Here is something I have noticed after watching all of these Santa movies. Every one of them seems to use a really cheap Santa suit.
Thin red fabric. Fluffy white trim that looks like it came off a craft store shelf. Beards that hang off the chin like a wet dish rag. You know the look.
Silent Night takes that idea and runs with it. The whole town is crawling with Santas because of the parade. Some are good. Some are sleazy. Most look like they grabbed the cheapest suit at the costume shop.
That actually helps the mystery. When everyone is wearing the same bargain suit, the killer can hide in plain sight. It is a clever twist on the killer Santa idea.
The killer does add one upgrade. He wears a Santa mask over his face. It is smooth, blank, and deeply unsettling. Somehow, a cheap red suit becomes scary when you cannot see the face inside it.
As a collector, I have handled some genuinely nice vintage Santa suits over the years. Heavy velvet. Real fur trim. Thick black boots. None of these movie Santas would pass inspection at my shop.
Maybe that is the secret. Real Santas look warm and well fed. Movie killer Santas always look like they bought the outfit on December 23rd.
The Kills and the Effects
This is where Silent Night really delivers for horror fans.
The killer Santa carries an axe and a flamethrower. That alone tells you this is not a gentle holiday movie. The kills are creative, nasty, and mostly done with practical effects.
Vincent Guastini’s effects shop handled the gore. One head gag was built to handle twenty or more takes. They got it in one.
Steven C. Miller has said the script included effects that had not been seen on screen much since the 1980s. That old school spirit shows. The blood looks wet and real.
There is also a nod to the 1984 original. Miller has said the film pays tribute to the famous antler kill. Longtime fans will know exactly what that means when it comes.
A word of warning, though. Some of these kills are rough. There is nudity, cruelty, and a lot of blood. This is an R rated slasher in every sense.
Behind the Scenes
The idea for a remake goes back to 2006. Scott Schneid, a producer on the 1984 original, first suggested it.
Writer Jayson Rothwell had never seen the original film. He wrote from his own idea of a Christmas horror movie. That helps explain why the story goes its own way.
Filming took place in Manitoba, Canada, mainly around Winnipeg and Selkirk. Here is a fun goof to watch for. The town is called Cryer, but a water tower in the film shows part of the Selkirk name.
The shoot was fast. Miller put it simply: “We shot it in seventeen days.” For a movie with this many effects, that is quick work.
The Genre Company produced it with Buffalo Gal Pictures, a local Winnipeg production company.
Joseph White handled the cinematography. Kevin Riepl composed the music. Seth Flaum edited the film.
Here is another fun connection. The Silent Night, Deadly Night 2025 remake also scouted around Selkirk and Stonewall in Manitoba. That little corner of Canada has now hosted two killer Santas.
How It Compares to the Original
The 1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night was a character study. It followed one troubled young man from childhood to his first killing spree.
Silent Night is a mystery. You do not know who the killer is. You follow the cops instead of the Santa.
That makes the two films very different experiences. The original makes you feel sorry for Billy. The remake makes you play detective.
The remake also has a sense of humor the original lacked. McDowell’s sheriff and Logue’s grumpy Santa bring real laughs between the scares.
I gave the original a 4.7. This one does not hit as hard emotionally. But it is a solid, entertaining slasher that respects its roots while doing its own thing.
It also came and went quietly. The original caused a national uproar in 1984. The remake barely made a ripple at the box office. Times have changed, and a killer Santa no longer shocks anyone.
A Midwest Christmas Setting
I have to give this movie credit for its setting. Cryer, Wisconsin feels like a real small Midwest town.
There is a sheriff who knows everybody. There is a church, a place to grab a burger, and a main street dressed up for the holidays. There is a parade that half the town seems to be in.
That could be Shenandoah. It could be a hundred towns across Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Christmas in a small town has a feel all its own, and this film captures it.
That is also what makes the horror work. A killer Santa in a big city is scary. A killer Santa in a town where everyone knows your name is downright chilling.
Steven C. Miller Behind the Camera
Steven C. Miller came to Silent Night with a few horror films already under his belt. His earlier credits include Automaton Transfusion, The Aggression Scale, and Under the Bed.
He brings real energy to this one. The camera moves well. The kills are staged with care. And he knows when to let McDowell loose for a laugh.
Writer Jayson Rothwell has said he drew inspiration from a real Christmas Eve crime in California in 2008. That gives the story a darker edge than you might expect from a holiday slasher.
Where It Stumbles
No movie is perfect, and this one has its rough patches.
The tone wobbles. Jaime King plays it serious and sad. Malcolm McDowell plays it big and funny. Sometimes it feels like they are in two different movies.
Some of the supporting characters are thin. A few exist only to end up on the naughty list.
The mystery is fun, but the payoff may not satisfy everyone. Without giving anything away, some viewers will wish the reveal hit harder.
And it can be mean spirited. The film seems to enjoy its cruelty a little too much at times. That will turn some viewers off.
Is Silent Night Worth Watching?
Yes, especially if you love holiday horror.
If you want a fun, gory Christmas slasher with a recognizable cast, this is an easy pick. If you love practical effects, you will find plenty to enjoy.
If you are a die hard fan of the 1984 original, go in with an open mind. This is not a straight remake. Treat it as a cousin, not a twin.
It runs about 94 minutes and moves at a good clip. That makes it a perfect late night pick after the kids are asleep.
Pair it with the 1984 original and the 2025 remake for a full killer Santa triple feature. You will see three very different takes on the same red suit. And none of those suits would win a costume contest.
Just do not watch it right before the local Christmas parade. You will never look at the Santa on the parade float the same way again.
The Kilroy Verdict on Silent Night
I went in expecting a cheap cash grab. I came out thoroughly entertained, and a little hungry for a burger.
Writing this Silent Night 2012 Review, I kept coming back to Malcolm McDowell. He is clearly having a blast, and his energy is contagious.
The kills are creative. The mystery keeps you guessing. The small town Wisconsin setting gives it a cozy Midwest feel, right up until the blood starts flying.
I also liked how the film treats its small town. Even the jerks feel like people you might run into at the gas station on a Sunday morning.
It is not a classic like the original. But it is a fun, nasty, well made slasher that deserves more attention than it got.
Final Thoughts 3.7/5
This one earns a 3.7 out of 5 from Kilroy. Wrapping up this Silent Night 2012 Review, it is a gory, funny, surprisingly smart take on the killer Santa idea.
“Malcolm McDowell and a masked Santa ignite a nasty, fun small town slasher.”
ML Lamp, Kilroy Was Here Shop
McDowell steals the show. Jaime King gives it heart. And the practical effects deliver the goods for horror fans.
One more thing. After all these Santa movies, I am convinced of one truth. Every killer Santa shops at the same bargain costume store.
So this Christmas, if a Santa shows up at your door in a cheap suit and a blank mask, do not let him in. And whatever you do, hold the avocado.
