In SILENT NIGHT, Nell and Simon have invited their closest friends to join their family for Christmas dinner at their idyllic home in the English countryside. As the group comes together, it feels like old times – but behind all of the laughter and merriment, something is not quite right. The world outside is facing impending doom, and no amount of gifts, games or Prosecco can make mankind’s imminent destruction go away. Surviving the holidays just got a lot more complicated.
For in-depth thoughts on Silent Night, please see my colleague Michael Cook’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Silent Night comes to Blu-Ray with a gorgeous AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. This is a film that is bursting with colors of the Christmas season as everything appears very natural from the greens of the foliage to the pops of color in the production design. The color palette mostly remains natural, but some scenes favor a blue or red push that serves the film well. Where the transfer really shines is the impressive level of detail in even the subtlest aspects. Everything from the smallest facial details to the texture of the food is precisely detailed here. The picture is mostly clear with only brief instances of murkiness during a few darker scenes. Black levels could stand to be a bit deeper, but at least skin tones are natural throughout. The film sports some luscious interior cinematography, and that is showcased pretty well here. Overall, this is a fine looking transfer.
Audio Quality
Silent Night comes to Blu-Ray with a commendable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. The movie does not provide the most intense workout, but the environmental sounds provide a very immersive atmosphere for the story. The low end of the track is especially active during more spirited moments of the gathering. The dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with the music where nothing gets lost in the track. Surround channels get some nice activity during the more kinetic scenes and with the natural ambiance of interpersonal moments. This track is quite precise and effective, and will be appreciated by fans who pick up this disc. There are English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Deleted & Extended Scenes: Four scenes of unused material totaling 14 minutes are provided here featuring a conversation about the nature of unchanged sheets, an extended charades scene and more.
- Alternate Endings: Three unused endings totaling nine minutes are provided here which are fairly close to what we got, but with notable changes in the final few seconds. The ending we got is what ultimately works the best, but it is fun to see these different versions.
Final Thoughts
Silent Night is an incredibly bleak movie that will leave most audiences feeling worse than when they started it, but it is one that is imbued with enough dark comedy to make things palatable. Not all of the larger social satire lands as effectively as the script may want, but there is enough depth to give you an appreciation for what it is trying to achieve. The entire cast is rock solid as they bring these despicable characters to life perfectly, keeping you riveted even during the times that are hard to watch. RLJE Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a couple of interesting special features. If you want something dark and daring, be sure to give this one a shot. Recommended
Silent Night will be available to purchase on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on March 8, 2022.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: RLJE Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
