PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Fresh Christmas horror always warms the soul, especially when it infuses different subgenres around the holiday. Such is the case with Silent Bite, the 2024 independent release that’s just rolled down our chimneys. So let’s sit under the tree, sip some eggnog in the glow of the lights, and see what makes this holiday horror work.
Silent Bite is written by Simon Phillips (The Mouse Trap 2024) and directed by Taylor Martin (Eccentrip 2023). It stars Phillips, Luke Avoledo (Womb Envy TV Series 2023), and Sayla De Goede (The Damnation 2024). The story surrounds a band of bank robbers who stop at a hotel to execute an escape plan. They come face to face with a family of seductive vampires looking for a fresh meal, as the two gruff crews fight to survive the night.
Silent Bite uses a sharp color palette and well decorated sets to give the audience an immediate Christmas feel. It’s an incredibly cleanly shot film, with good editing transitions and vibrant color grading. Director Taylor Martin does a wonderful job in isolating the two groups to give their characters time to marinate while building to the big showdown. She uses the different rooms of the spacious hotel to give the characters a place to bunker down and plot their next moves and build tension.
Avoledo gives a heartwarming, grounded performance as a shy, reserved contrast to the boisterous crew. De Goede plays the mother of the succulent succubus squad and commands attention with every line. The film offers a nice bait-and-switch from one set of characters to the other, in the vein of Don’t Breathe (read our retro review here).
Silent Bite doesn’t contain quite the amount of gore that fans of the genre have come to expect. But it does have solid characters, good ambiance, moments of heart, and a lot to sink your teeth into.
Silent Bite is currently available for purchase on YouTube or Amazon Prime.
