Plus, a plethora of plotholes abound. How exactly did Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus know Courtney’s dad’s schedule to kill him? Did they camp out there for several nights waiting, almost going after the wrong car once or twice? Later on, an FBI agent does not shoot Mrs. Claus when he could. Mind you, she’s putting another agent’s life in immediate danger. So, why doesn’t he? So the plot could keep going. There are several other examples, but I am afraid some of them might be spoilers. Suffice to say, it is probably best not to put any thought into the plot machinations of The Nights Before Christmas, as characters tend to act without logic, just so the story does not end early.
But, with all that being said, the movie shines where it counts. The carnage is remorseless, and the kills occur often and are brutal. Audiences desiring blood and guts, and aren’t too picky about the logistics, will get a lot of enjoyment here.
“… the slasher villains are great, crazy fun, and the high body count is sure to please horror hounds.”
Plus, returning cast members Simon Phillips (who co-wrote the movie) and Sayla de Goede are delightful as the maniacal killers obsessed with Christmas. Their chemistry is as good as ever, and whenever they are onscreen together, The Nights Before Christmas is propelled forward by their combined energy. The rest of the cast varies a bit, but most are pretty good.
The Nights Before Christmas is not the slam dunk its predecessor is. The low-budget manifests itself in distracting ways, such as the British accents that seep in every now and then, despite this being set in the United States. The screenplay packs in far too many characters and subplots, meaning nothing gets fully developed. But, the slasher villains are great, crazy fun, and the high body count is sure to please horror hounds. All in all, it is not perfect, but it is still fun.
"…a plethora of plotholes abound."
