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Ditching the killer Santa angle of its predecessors, Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out gets off to a deceptively strong start, but unfortunately, the momentum is quickly lost. Rather than leaning into spectacle or carnage usually afforded to a slasher, the film instead settles into a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere, often focused on long takes and a mood more akin to that of an arthouse picture. It's a shame then that the film itself is so tragically empty, stretching its narrative so thin that it practically snaps, devoid of any attempts at humour, intentional or not, and wasting all potential set-up from its opening minutes. At the very least, director Monte Hellman has a flair for chaotic camera angles and some occasionally inventive shots; unfortunately, the whole thing lacks any form of suspense, not helped by its glacial pacing. The cast is undoubtedly familiar to any David Lynch fan, considering the presence of both Richard Beymer and Laura Harring in their pre-Lynchian roles. Sadly, neither of them can do the material any form of justice despite their best efforts. However, the real kicker is what they did to Ricky. Going from the beautifully volcanic performance of Eric Freeman to an uncharacteristically, almost catatonic Bill Moseley is probably the biggest come-down of the lot. Combined with a score that's practically sleep-inducing, Hellman and his over-qualified cast are hamstrung by the fact that Silent Night, Deadly Night 3's premise is even more insultingly idiotic and ridiculous than the last two.

To say Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 is only half as good as the original would be a somewhat accurate assertion, serving as the perfect antidote to the sadistic extremes of its predecessor and only really kicking into gear once we've watched half of the first film again, meaning we end up with barely more than 45 minutes of new footage. Although, to the film's credit, it is very good new footage. Like the original, a veil of Catholic guilt hangs over everything, with all the ways the word naughty is used dozens of times, often in hilarious and mischievous ways; however, it didn't incite quite the same level of ire as its predecessor, perhaps because people were used to killer Santas by 1987 or perhaps because nobody saw it. It ultimately took an internet age meme for this one to garner much attention, although to be fair, it is a very good meme and served as the instrument in my original watch of this about 17 years ago, only now getting a long overdue rewatch. There are some inventive kills, the score by Michael Armstrong is a tremendous improvement and nominal director Lee Harry brings a beautiful awkwardness to everything, but the highlight is undoubtedly the performance of Eric Freeman. Part of me is reluctant to throw him under the bus because the completely derranged intensity he brings to the table here is more akin to unwise direction or bad writing; either way, it's a treat every time he opens his mouth. In a very weird way, I do prefer Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 over the original, which is probably sacrilege. Yes, amounts to what is basically half a film, but it's a shot of adrenaline-induced hilarity taken to eyebrow-lifting levels; there's nothing silent on this night.

All is definitely not well in Santa's grotto, for he is coming to town, and this time he's got an axe! Infamous for its mix of festive cheer, brutal violence, and ensuing moral outrage, Silent Night, Deadly Night functions as a savage critique of the empty sentiments of Christmas by attacking both Christian conservatism and the never-ending misery machine of Catholicism. Exploring the worst-case scenario of the effects of childhood trauma, abuse, and the darkness that can lie beneath festive surfaces, the film does so while maintaining a dark sense of misplaced humour that relieves any form of bleakness and ultimately creates some of the film's most memorable moments. The splashes of gore and plenty of nudity give the film a video nasty edge, but the director, Charles Sellier Jr, delivers a quickly paced, much more muted experience, where bland camerawork, meagre sets, and an almost featureless Utah locale add to the feeling that you are watching a low-budget docu-drama. The performances from the cast are generally entertaining, ranging from sympathetic to overly dry, while the score's heavy reliance on jingling bells is quick to irritate. Judged on its own terms, Silent Night, Deadly Night is an otherwise relatively thoughtful slasher; however, it's undone by an impossibly low budget, a general lack of talent, and a director with no feel for the material, survives mainly as a historical curiosity nowadays, but then again, nothing relieves the pressure of a heavy Christmas dinner like an axe to the chest.