Image courtesy of IMDb
Hello, everyone. In what is likely the last review for this year (sorry, guys, for it not being the two Avatar movies or Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick*), we revisit another classic story that’s had its share of different versions. However, for this one, it’s the first time since that story’s first sequel to be set around Christmas. The main difference here is that instead of a New York cop visiting his wife in L.A. on Christmas Eve, it’s Santa Claus trying to make his rounds when he gets caught in the middle of a hostage situation. That, and Santa happens to be more brutal than John McClane.
Folks, for this review, we’re going to witness Santa dish out some Season’s Beatings on some bad guys, as I bring to you my review of Violent Night.
The movie follows the Lightstone family, who are visiting matriarch Gertrude for Christmas at her mansion. Joining Jason (the father), his estranged wife Linda, and their 7-year-old daughter Trudy are Jason’s sister Alva, her new boyfriend Morgan Steel, and Alva’s son Bertrude (no, I’m not making that up). With it being Christmas Eve, Jason and Linda decide to give Trudy one gift early: an old walkie-talkie to allow Trudy to talk to Santa. Her parents overhear her Christmas wish, and shortly after, Santa arrives to deliver presents. Unfortunately, he arrives as the mansion is being overrun by a group of mercenaries looking for $300 million in cash stored in their vault. Making matters worse, his reindeer get spooked away, leaving Santa behind. With no other options, he decides to help the family out.
What Worked: The performances are all excellent. First of all, David Harbour is fantastic as Santa. This is the best movie Santa I have seen in a long time, if not ever. He is not only perfectly cast for the type of movie this is (an action comedy), but how he’s written is a perfect fit for that. This Santa has an interesting backstory that I won’t go into here, and he has an understandable motivation even prior to when he decides to help the family out. Plus, you can tell he was having so much fun playing Santa.
Though the portrayal of the family is absurd, it feels like a parody of the dysfunctional family stereotype, to where you have the one person trying to hold everything together as best they can. Here, that’s Trudy trying to keep everyone in the Christmas spirit. She’s very sweet, and has the purest heart of everyone. Leah Brady’s performance really sells not only that, but also her belief in Santa.
Aside from her parents, played respectively by Alex Hassell and Alexis Louder, the rest of the family are very much dysfunctional in every sense of the word. You have Edi Patterson (Knives Out) as Alva, who’s a drinker, Cam Gigandet (Pandorum, The Magnificent Seven) as her boyfriend Morgan Steel, who’s an action star wanting Gertrude to fund his next movie, and Alexander Elliot as Bertrude, who’s basically the modern influencer type that we see now. Though they all have their share of funny moments (Morgan gets quite a few of them), there’s Beverly D’Angelo of Vacation fame as Gertrude herself. She gets some of the funniest lines in the movie. In fact, she’s so vulgar she puts even Deadpool to shame. If you think I’m exaggerating, I am not.
Then we have the villains, led by John Leguizamo in what is easily his best villain role. It’s also ironic when you consider that he was in Die Hard 2 and John Wick, and then he goes on to be in a Die Hard movie in the style of John Wick with this. However, as with David Harbour’s performance as Santa, you can tell he’s having a lot of fun as the main villain, who calls himself Mr. Scrooge.
You can also tell that this is a self-aware action comedy when the villains have Christmas-themed codenames, such as Gingerbread, Candy Cane, and even Krampus. You also know it doesn’t take itself too seriously when they outright reference Die Hard and Home Alone in addition to parodying them (they even parody Die Hard 2 at one point). The biggest reference to Home Alone is especially brilliant.
The movie also excels at being very brutal. It lives up to the title, because Santa gets to kill people in insanely brutal, yet hilariously awesome and very creative ways.
I also thought it was a nice touch to actually modernize Santa’s Nice and Naughty Lists, and incorporate Christmas music into the score.
This all benefits from having solid direction from Tommy Wirkola (who previously did Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) and a very clever script from Pat Casey and Josh Miller, who are coming off of writing two well-received hit video game adaptations with Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel.
The biggest thing that makes this so much fun is that it’s produced by David Leitch, who co-directed the first John Wick film with Chad Stahelski before going on to direct Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, the Fast & Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, and Bullet Train, which came out earlier this year. This has the same kind of fast-paced action and great humor as Bullet Train in particular, in addition to Nobody, which he also produced.
What Didn’t Work: There was a very minor pacing issue early on, but that’s more of a nitpick compared to everything else.
Overall: Violent Night has everything you could want in a holiday movie, and then some. In a year of divisiveness (especially in film), this is the kind of movie we need right now. It’s a time of celebration, and what better way for them to deliver the goods than a Christmas-themed action comedy? It’s the kind of action movie that knows what it is. You have David Harbour as Santa unleashing some Christmas carnage on a band of mercenaries led by John Leguizamo. What more could you possibly want?
It’s fun, it’s brutal, it’s hilarious, and overall, it’s a very satisfying experience. For John Wick fans, this is your kind of movie. For action fans in general, like myself, you are in for a welcome holiday treat.
I had heard some say two things. The first is that they want more movies like this with holiday icons being action heroes, and the second is that this could be a new Christmas classic. I totally agree with both.
Folks, if you’re looking for something to do this holiday season (besides see Avatar in theaters (which I would highly recommend you do so in 3D, of course) or see anything on streaming (like Glass Onion, which also arrived this month)), I would highly suggest you go watch Violent Night and hope you get a good amount of people in the theater, even if it’s not entirely packed. I guarantee you and your audience will come out of it having had a great time yourselves.
One more thing worth noting for when you do see it: There is a mid-credits scene, and despite being brief, it’s also hilarious.
With all that having been said…
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good (and hopefully not actually violent) night.
Next Time: My next review or post will likely be once we’ve entered the new year.
For now, though:
I capped off this year
With a movie that I left with glee
And I hope to see everyone here
In 2023.
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, everyone!
*This one felt easier to do, and it came out at a more fitting time anyway for the reviews I was able to do for this year to go out.