Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!’

Written by Scott Edwards

​One wish that everyone has for Christmas is to know what they will get under the tree. Most people have to wait and see, but if you have some sort of psychic ability, you may have an unfair advantage to the wrapped secrets that are awaiting you. Although being surprised is one of the greatest things on Christmas morning, most of us still would like to know what our gifts are going to be, that is why we are always searching the house for hours on end, trying to find the presents our parents have hidden throughout the year.

Laura, a young psychic who also happens to be blind has no problems knowing what the holiday will bring her. Being part of an experiment Dr. Newbury is conducting involving transmitting dreams from one person to another, Laura is privy to seeing things that no one should see. The test subject that she is attached to is Ricky Caldwell, the younger brother of Billy who is better known as the Santa Killer. Although Ricky was gunned down while trying to instill his morals taught to him by Mother Superior a year before, somehow he is still alive, but in a coma.

When Laura sees everything that has happened via dreams from the deranged mind of Ricky, she is no longer willing to be part of the ongoing experiments with her special abilities. Having developed this psychic ability, along with her blindness at the same time, she wants nothing more than to live her life and not to be a burden to her younger brother Chris. With it being Christmas Eve and getting very little respect from the hospital staff where the tests are being conducted, Laura sees more than she has bargained for as Ricky starts to awaken from his yearlong slumber. 

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Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!  takes place one-year post Ricky Caldwell’s escape from the asylum. Having been shot many times and ending the life of the one person he blamed for his brother's demise, he had nothing else to live for. Dr. Newbury had a different idea when Ricky’s next to dead body was delivered to the hospital. Trying to see inside of the mind of a killer, the doctor goes for psychic links between a volunteer and Ricky. Laura was the perfect candidate, having little to nothing left after a tragic accident that left her parents dead and her blind. As the psychic link grows stronger between her and Ricky, she sees more than her fair share of horrible things, but the link goes both ways and now with Ricky awake, he knows where to find his next victims…and to Grandmother's house, he goes.

As the saga of Silent Night, Deadly Night grows, the movies become extremely different. Still following how the Caldwell boys have changed the outlook of Christmas, no one is willing to except that they or their powers could continue to wreak havoc, even after death. With Lt. Connely trying to figure out where Ricky could be going, or how he could know where to go after being gunned down so long ago, Connely discovers that the powers of psychics are real and something new to be feared. With Ricky trying to find his way back to Grandma’s house, he won't be stopped by anyone that gets in his way and is determined to find the person who woke him.

Not the best of the movies by far, but the third installment will keep you on your toes as you get plenty of laughs from Laura ragging on her younger brother's new girlfriend. With all of the killing happening in the background, the hospital staff failing to stop what appears to be a zombie is humorous, but also sad and realistic. But having someone that has been a vegetable for the past year that has regained more motor functions than most elderly people and is able to kill, drive and kill some more makes for an unbelievable ride. You had better watch out, as Santa Claus will be coming to town soon enough. Happy Holidays and Stay Scared!

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