One thing you can never accuse the Silent Night Deadly Night series of is resting on its laurels.
Going into the fourth film in 1990, renowned practical effects guru Bryan Yuzna was tasked with taking the series in a new direction..and boy did he ever.
Despite an initial Christmas setting, well post-someone throwing themselves off a roof, we discover a cult that is attempting to impregnate women of the city with bugs.
As it’s Yuzna we are treated to some gooey effects plus giant bugs to boot, because why not? Screamin’ Mad George teams up with Yuzna on these effects, which although not fully in-tune with a cohesive plot are quite something to behold.
Add to this an unhinged performance from Clint Howard, as a crazy homeless man who is in cahoots with the cult and you have a melting pot of chaos.
If you are not interested in continuity from the dreadful Silent Night Deadly Night 3, you will certainly find something to like in Initiation, which feels like peak direct to video horror mayhem of the late 80s/early 90s.
I am now curious how much of a swerve, Silent Night Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker is.
Bloody Flicks 