Blumhouse’s Black Christmas is the second remake of a very intense 1974 proto-slasher, but just how scary and violent is the new horror film? While an R-rated film, the original Black Christmas was far from a gorefest, outside of a few particularly violent kills. The first Black Christmas remake, in 2006, turned that on its head, reveling in gore, and even using a person’s flesh to make a batch of cookies. Proving that gorier isn’t always better, most fans hated the 2006 version.
When it comes to scares, the first Black Christmas was a master class in tension and suspense, and also used the unknown killer’s disturbing phone calls to always keep viewers on edge and wary of the frights to come. The 2006 remake jettisoned psychological scares for gory deaths, and removed all mystery from the proceedings by revealing the killer’s identity at the beginning of the film.
So, how does Black Christmas 2019 stack up when it comes to scares and violence? Black Christmas has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for “violence, terror, thematic content involving sexual assault, language, sexual material and drinking,” while the BBFC rates it a 15 for “strong violence, threat, [and] sexual violence.” What does that equal in practical terms? Read on for a non-spoiler rundown.
How Scary Is Black Christmas 2019?
Black Christmas 2019 isn’t much for providing slow-burn psychological scares like the original 1974 classic, instead preferring jump scares punctuated by loud musical stings. This is a commonly used device in modern studio horror, and many would argue it’s overdone. Outside of the jumps though, Black Christmas shouldn’t be too frightening for anyone other than those with a very low tolerance for horror films in general. The intensity level of the 1974 original is nowhere to be found in this remake.
How Violent Is Black Christmas 2019?
While ostensibly a slasher movie, Black Christmas 2019 is almost completely blood and gore free, thanks to its PG-13 rating. Most of the kills are either very quick or mostly happen offscreen, although there are a few stabbings which might cause the more sensitive out there to cringe and groan. A person also gets set on fire at one point, and screams in agony. Additionally, one character is the victim of a sexual assault that may upset some viewers, although the scene isn’t shown in any kind of graphic detail. Compared to most horror films, the overall level of violence in Black Christmas 2019 is very low, and likely won’t really bother most viewers.
The Rest Of Black Christmas 2019’s Rating: Nudity & Swearing
There is no nudity in Black Christmas 2019, even during the aforementioned sexual assault scene. There are however fairly explicit verbal references made to sex acts. Swearing is kept to a minimum, presumably thanks to the mandates of obtaining a PG-13 rating from the MPAA.
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