Some less than decent citizens in a remote Midwestern town are being dispatched of (some in very grizzly fashion) by a killer in a Santa costume and a young deputy (King) and her Sheriff (McDowell) try and track him down.
Not much of a remake of the old Christmas slasher classic "Silent Night, Deadly Night" but it does borrow from it and even honor it with that flick's most memorable kill scene. I first saw "Silent Night" three years ago and it's been a steady Christmas time view for me since. It's extremely brutal on occasion (that wood chipper scene is just disgusting) but it's a decent horror/thriller/slasher that moves along nicely and is peppered with some very decent performances.
Jaime King, in particular, invests in her role and is not only believable but a very likable and human character. McDowell goes the other way; delivering one cheesy line after the other but he does it so well and is obviously having a good time playing the token small town sheriff.
There's no snow here but the Christmas atmosphere is nicely captured and the small town scenario always seems to be a big plus in these types of films. There are a few very effective and graphic sequences displaying just how angry this Santa is and some scenes definitely stay with you afterwords.
I feel it kinda peters out at the end with a less-than-inspired conclusion but up until then it's an enjoyable ride for horror buffs with the stomach for some very unsettling imagery.
Not much of a remake of the old Christmas slasher classic "Silent Night, Deadly Night" but it does borrow from it and even honor it with that flick's most memorable kill scene. I first saw "Silent Night" three years ago and it's been a steady Christmas time view for me since. It's extremely brutal on occasion (that wood chipper scene is just disgusting) but it's a decent horror/thriller/slasher that moves along nicely and is peppered with some very decent performances.
Jaime King, in particular, invests in her role and is not only believable but a very likable and human character. McDowell goes the other way; delivering one cheesy line after the other but he does it so well and is obviously having a good time playing the token small town sheriff.
There's no snow here but the Christmas atmosphere is nicely captured and the small town scenario always seems to be a big plus in these types of films. There are a few very effective and graphic sequences displaying just how angry this Santa is and some scenes definitely stay with you afterwords.
I feel it kinda peters out at the end with a less-than-inspired conclusion but up until then it's an enjoyable ride for horror buffs with the stomach for some very unsettling imagery.