3
(abusive nuns)
2
(sexuality, nudity, strong language, violence, gore)
1
(it's torture to watch)
To the chagrin of sensitive mothers everywhere the original "Silent Night Deadly Night" being profitable despite being banned from theaters before its planned full release spawned sequels to cash in on its notoriety. As I've learned from the DVD special features this sequel started out as an attempt to cut down the original movie into a less offensive presentation before it morphed into its own deranged entity. As a result about half of this movie is nothing more than a retelling of the first movie.
Santa Billy's brother Ricky has been institutionalized for crimes we don't know about yet, and as he's interviewed by a shrink scenes from the first movie play out as flashbacks for about 40 minutes. The filmmakers talked the powers that be into letting them add their own story so on a shoestring budget, once they reach the end of the events in first movie, they weave a tale of Ricky growing up into the likeness of his homicidal brother.
Jump back in time and little Ricky is taken in by an adopting family. He seems to be gaining some semblance of a normal life despite what happened to brother Billy. When he witnesses a rape attempt that reminds him of his mother's fate (never mind that he was an infant at the time) he loses it and goes homicidal. He launches into a bloody rampage until he sets his sights on revenge on the abusive Mother Superior from the orphanage where Billy died.
This is a travesty of movie making. I mean the first one wasn't high art, but it had some thought behind the story and genuine development. This is a contradictory mess of random events. Even the movie Ricky sees with his girlfriend is just scenes from the first Silent Night Deadly Night that didn't involve Billy. I guess that is meant as a humorous poke at itself, but I was already so put off by the rest of the movie that it came across as weak rather than amusing.
One giant problem is that the acting here is atrocious. I won't say that necessarily everyone stinks out loud, but most, including Ricky who has the most screentime by far, are comically bad. “It's garbage day!” is a line that's so bad it has become a classic. I suppose if I had gone into this movie knowing it was this bad (I mean I didn't expect much but I didn't expect it to be THIS bad!) and that it was intentionally a recut of the original I might not have disliked it quite so much. I might have been able to laugh at the goofiness of it all.
Seeing how they obviously set the original up for potential continuation (by showing the axe in front of little Ricky) and the series has continued into a least a couple more of these movies I rather expected this one to be a more serious take on the continuation of the story. I kept wondering when the flashbacks would end and the new story begin only to be disappointed when that finally happened. Maybe if I can ever bring myself to watch this one again I will find some amusement in its weak story, laughable acting, and extreme campiness. For now, though, I have to look back and be grateful it didn't cost me any money to see it.
Morality
Almost all of the nude scenes and violence from the first movie are replayed here though they are cut to tone down the blood and boobs somewhat (mostly the blood). I think the scene of Billy and Pamela in bed together and the teen couple in the orphanage are the only nude scenes missing (possibly because they didn't involve violence?). This involves 2 attempted rapes, 3 bare breasted women getting killed, strangulations, shootings, and other violent deaths.
The new footage includes another attempted rape with some very brief flashes of boobage, and a sex scene involving some female nudity.
There are several bloody shootings, an electrocution, and a number of other gruesome deaths. The worst is probably the guy that gets an umbrella punched through his gut.
There is a lot of strong language throughout.
So in essence this shows off virtually everything that gave the first one an R rating and then adds more of the same. It makes me wonder how this was supposed to be a tamer version of the movie. Is it just because it removes the dramatic trauma of Billy's life?
Spirituality
This is not a movie deep enough to have much spiritual impact. Ricky wants revenge on a nun because of what happened at the Catholic orphanage at which he and his brother lived as children. The results of his quest are bloody. The orphanage itself played a major part in the original movie and may annoy anyone sensitive to nuns being portrayed in a negative light. Otherwise there isn't anything of note or substance.
Final Thoughts
You've really got to be hard up for some Yuletide violence or have the ability to find humor in the awful nature of it all if you're going to see this "Silent Night Deadly Night" sequel. Even if you liked the first one you might want to think twice about tracking the sequel down. It's a waste of energy.
Buying Guide
The guide for the “Silent Night Deadly Night” sequel is going to be a lot of repetition of the first movie's guide because they are both only offered as a double-feature with each other (with the exception of #1 being offered by itself on Blu-ray). This film does have its own unique design and extras, though, so read on for the details.
The “Christmas Survival Double Feature” is essentially the exact same release as the one I have with slightly different packaging and layout. The only real differences are that it is a 2-disc set rather than a double-sided single disc, and there is no insert that I've ever seen get a mention.
Final Recommendation:
I've seen the original double feature offered cleaply and at ridiculously high prices. There's really no reason to bother hunting it down instead of just getting the newer addition. There are a few interesting features here for fans, but it's not worth a lot of money unless you're just DYING to own this movie. These have gone out of print quickly in the past, but so far the 2-disc double-feature is sticking around. Still if you plan on ever getting it I wouldn't wait too long just in case.
The DVD Double Feature is a 1-disc set with each movie having a side dedicated to it.
Video
1.85 widescreen:
The image is grainy and a fuzzy with a few flecks of trash.
Audio
2.0 Dolby:
The mix is mono, but it's encoded as 2.0. The package announces the audio specs in tee-tiny letters at the bottom as if whispering low enough that maybe you won't notice. The mix is weak with too much in the highs and virtually no bass.
Packaging
The case is standard plastic.
There is an insert with some poster art, but since I got mine second-hand I didn't get the insert and cen't tell you much more than that.
The interface has a Christmas greeting card theme and offers up some amusing chapter titles.
Extras