Director – Martin Kitrosser (Living in Fear, Daddy’s Girl)
Starring – William Thorne (Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Demonic Toys), Jane Higginson (Slaughterhouse, The Devil Wears White), and Van Quattro (Fight Club, Biohazard: Patient Zero)
Release Date – 1991
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “Hes home…but hes not alone”
Well, here I set about to call it a night and finish up the last film in theSilent Night, Deadly Night series. A few years back I reviewed the first twoSilent Night, Deadly Night films along with the remake Silent Night. Since then I was unable to finish the series because I did not have them on DVD. That changed last year when I found the 3 film pack at FYE for just a few dollars. I recently opened that one up and watched parts 3 and 4.
Three was a huge let down but had a clever story that was unable to fully flower as the film progresses. The fourth film was a huge improvement but had nothing in common with the previous films and had no connection to the series. It was time to finish the series off with the 5th and final film. This one was produced by Brian Yuzna who directed part 4 so I still had hope for the series.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows a young boy who receives a present late at night on his door step. He brings it inside and his father catches him and sends him back to bed. He opens the present himself and discovers a small Santa toy inside. However, this is no ordinary Santa toy. The toy comes to life and kills the father while the boy watches from the stairs. Some time passes and the boy refuses to talk so his mother takes him to a local toy store where they meet the lovable owner and his mischievous son.
They leave but soon things take a terrifying turn when the toy maker’s son is caught inside of their home. It is soon discovered that his son is actually a robot who has fallen in love with the boys mother and is trying to remove everyone from her family so he can live with her alone.**Spoiler Alert**
It’s hard for sequels to capture what makes the first film so fun. Some are just movies tossed together to profit from fans with no redeeming qualities what so ever just like Silent Night, Deadly Night 2. Others are movies that are re-titled at the last minute to profit just like Silent Night, Deadly Night 4. However, it is rare that a sequel surpasses the first film. Silent Night, Deadly Night 5 is not a sequel to Silent Night, Deadly Night but a sequel toSilent Night, Deadly Night 4. The film is actually better than the 4th and offers up some great moments on screen.
The acting in this one is phenomenal. We have a very brief appearance from the star of part 4, Neith Hunter. She reprises her role even though it is brief. She does an outstanding job which is a shame that her role was so small. We get a great performance from the legendary Mickey Rooney who was known for voicing his disapproval of the first film in the series. The film’s two stars, the young William Thorne and Jane Higginson are great. The two work very well together and you honestly believe that Williams is Jane’s son. This is tremendous dedication to their roles and it makes the film enjoyable.
The story for this one is a departure from the body horror that was in part 4 and goes a more sci-fi route with the killer robot and animatronic toys. This was a great story for the Christmas series.
Finally, the film does have a few kills but they are rather bland and boring. A film with so much imagination dropped the ball when it came to deaths. The practical effects we get are solid for what we actually get. Overall, Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker is a solid addition to any Christmas viewing but once again fails to follow the story set first in the first three films. It is well worth a watch so check it out.
