Violent Night
When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.
- Released: 2022-11-30
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Genre: Action, Comedy
- Stars: David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Beverly D'Angelo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, Cam Gigandet, André Eriksen, Alexander Elliot, Mitra Suri, John B. Lowe, Sean Skene, Vance Halldorson, Thomas Lorber, Adam Hurtig, Ron Borges, Adrian Persad, Marc-André Brisebois, Dylan Rampulla, Maxime Laurin
- Director: Tommy Wirkola
Comments
- MajesticMane - 14 June 2024
🔥🎄 A Chaotic Yuletide Bloodbath🎄🎁
"Violent Night" throws a grenade into the traditional Christmas movie basket, exploding with dark humor, brutal action, and a surprisingly heartfelt core. Director Tommy Wirkola isn't afraid to get his hands dirty (quite literally), crafting a genre mashup of "Die Hard" and a Santa origin story, all soaked in holiday cheer (of the eggnog-fueled variety).
David Harbour embodies the disillusioned Santa Claus perfectly. He's overweight, over-served, and questioning his entire purpose. Yet, when a group of mercenaries take a wealthy family hostage on Christmas Eve, Santa finds his inner warrior resurfacing. The action sequences are brutal and inventive, with Santa utilizing surprising skills and even more surprising weapons (candy canes become surprisingly effective impaling tools).
The film isn't all mayhem though. A young girl named Trudy (Leah Brady) becomes Santa's reluctant partner, rekindling his Christmas spirit and reminding him of the magic he brings. Their dynamic is surprisingly sweet, and the film explores themes of family, forgiveness, and the enduring power of belief.
However, "Violent Night" doesn't quite reach its full potential. The pacing can be uneven, with some jokes landing flat and the emotional beats feeling a little underdeveloped. The villain, played by John Leguizamo, is entertainingly manic but lacks depth. While the violence is undeniably fun, it might be a turn-off for those seeking a more lighthearted holiday film.
Ultimately, "Violent Night" is a mixed bag of festive fun and brutal brawls. David Harbour's charismatic performance and the film's unique concept keep it engaging, but the tonal inconsistency and underdeveloped elements hold it back from becoming a classic. If you're looking for a wildly inappropriate, action-packed Christmas movie with a dash of heart, "Violent Night" might just be your cup of eggnog (spiked with something a little stronger).
Remember, this isn't your typical Christmas movie-it's a festive bloodbath with a twisted sense of humor. 🎅🔪 - crej-1 - 11 February 2024
Now that, is my kind of Christmas movie
What more could anyone want? A little bit of Christmas magic, mixed with a little bit of wow holy moly that's some serious violence?! Yes please!
Never laughed our way, or cringed and looked away laughing at a movie like this before, had us going from start till almost finish.
Movies that take themselves seriously need to be done perfectly, movies like scream and saw are all about gore and the story is a bit meh, but this one takes all the old stories that you've already head and you already know and just delivers it different.
Clever script, funny as in quite a few bits and a movie I could watch again with the kids when they are a wee bit older!
Finally a movie where all the best bits were not just in the damn trailer!!
