David Roggenkamp The premise of the movie is simple enough; Christmas drives people crazy. As it is a slasher flick, people are going to die – only it is Santa Claus doing all of the killing. Not only is it a deranged psychopath, but he chooses one of the most innocent holiday icons in the world as his cover. The police are left to find multiple victims of the killer as they try to figure out his mindset and how he targets his victims. In the meantime, the Santa Claus killer is making his mark as he slowly picks off victims one by one. The movie has everything clichéd from a typical horror movie standpoint, right down to the killer in how he plays psychologically with his victims. The movie is can be downright terrifying at times and is littered with suspense; it also does not shy away with horror movie clichés and obvious death scenes.For those that like slasher flicks, I recommend the movie; those interested in more grotesque horror will not find it here.Originally posted to Orion Age (http://www.orionphysics.com/?p=6166).

kosmasp Getting Malcolm McDowell for your horror movie is always a nice treat. And he seems to be willing to help (young) filmmakers out, like in this case. This fun little slasher, is not profound, but it does not need to be. You just want to pop in the movie, drink the beverage of your choice and have a bowl of whatever in front of you, to cheer on the events unfolding on screen.Christmas has been used in other movies to go dark and evil, so that's not new (even Santa has been bad quite a few times in the past), but the level of violence reached here has to be in the top 3 at least. There are some innovative ways Santa is disposing of "evil" persons and it's kind a fun to watch this low budget movie, even when it struggles at times. Fun, because we know it's a movie.

zardoz-13 Director Steven C. Minor's "Silent Night" qualifies as an above-average horror chiller. This grisly, R-rated, 94-minute, cinematic massacre makes the grade on the basis of its fidelity to the standard-issue slasher movie formula with a valiant but vulnerable, pistol-packing heroine, a high body count, and several sadistically staged slaughter scenes. A gruesome guy in traditional Santa Claus garb goes around slaying apparently unsuspecting but not altogether wholesome citizens in a variety of ways. Our villain electrocutes a sex addict; shocks as well as skewers a foul-mouthed brat of a little girl; eviscerates three people; hacks up more with an ax; mulches a naked woman in a shredder; garrotes the town mayor, and charbroils the police chief with a flame-thrower. The image of Santa Claus armed with a flame-thrower alone makes "Silent Night" an unforgettable sizzler. Indeed, this murderous maniac amounts to a model but not quite iconic monster in the classical mold of "Nightmare on Elm Street's" Freddy Kruger, "Halloween's" Michael Myers, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's" Leatherface of," or Jason of "Friday the 13th" infamy. Nevertheless, Santa Claus looks creepy enough with his plastic mask to send a shiver down your spine. He murders in cold blood without a qualm and derives delight in doling out his deadly deeds. "Malice in Wonderland" scenarist Jayson Rothwell and Minor stock their movie with interesting, off-beat characters uttering clever dialogue. For example, they have a cynical Santa Claus, a mom with a heart ailment, a leering minister, and a cop who likes to swing his night-stick. Minor displays more than enough style in orchestrating the gritty action. In the words of one Santa Claus imposter, "Silent Night" "ain't all candy canes and pretty lights." Squeamish viewers should shun this blood-soaked saga of death and dismemberment, while gorehounds will gush with glee at all this wanton mayhem. "Silent Night" gets off to a gripping start with our Santa Claus imposter electrocuting a deputy sheriff with a string of colored Christmas lights. The ill-fated deputy complains that he didn't know the woman with whom he had sex was Santa's wife. The cuckolded Mr. Claus fries him to death. As it turns out, the cop realizes before he dies that his killer isn't a jealous husband but a sick f-word.Cue the open credits and then cut to Deputy Sheriff Aubrey Bradimore (Jamie King of "Sin City") awakening to a phone call from her boss, Sheriff Cooper (Malcolm McDowell), who orders her to cinch on her gunbelt and come into work. It seems that the promiscuous policeman who died in the first scene had taken over her shift but since he disappeared Cooper requires Aubrey's presence. During these first few minutes we also learn that the remote Midwestern hamlet of Cryer is withering from economic hardship. Aubrey is reluctant to pull her shift. Meanwhile, a bratty little girl demands that her mother take her to the shopping mall. She goes so far as to knock the bottle of heart medicine out of her mom's mitts to get her attention. Not long afterward, the doorbell rings, and the little hellion finds herself confronting a towering Santa Claus. Without warning, jolly ole' St. Nick stuns her with a cattle prod so that she foams at the mouth and then runs her through with a pike.Sheriff's Department dispatcher Brenda (Ellen Wong) sends Aubrey out to an abandoned house where Aubrey discovers the body of Deputy Sheriff Jordan and heaves up. Sheriff Cooper is pretty obnoxious as lawmen go and reprimands her for not waiting for him. Few characters emerge from this tale of terror in one piece. If you like horror movies that will raise your hackles, you'll savor this stocking stuffer of sadism.

bowmanblue This film is severely low brow, kind of dumb and we've totally seen everything it has to offer (albeit better). Yet - for some reason - I really enjoyed it.Think 'Scream,' but with a Santa going around bumping off the townsfolk in various grisly ways then you're half way there. No, it's not as good as Scream (or even any of its sequels), but, if you're looking for a violent slasher flick to pass the time (and not require too many brain cells for) then this one fits the bill.You don't really need to know much about the plot = Santa-killer. You can probably fill in the rest yourself. Maybe it also helps to watch it around Christmas time. Seeing Santa roast perfect strangers with a flamethrower makes a pleasant change from those awful, sickly-sweet John Lewis commercials currently infesting the screen.Some people have complained about the killing of a child in the film, so, if you're squeamish and find that sort of thing unwatchable, you might want to steer clear.Otherwise, sit back and watch Malcolm McDowell deliciously overact (don't complain - he's doing it on purpose - this is kind of tongue-in-cheek, after all!) and deck the halls with burned-up bodies!