Violent Night [DVD] [2022] [2023]

Product Information

A super violent and really funny action movie that doesn't forget to bring the necessary heart and festive spirit as a Christmas movie.

There's even one amazing sequence where the main young girl in the film has just watched Home Alone and booby-traps the house as she saw in the film. As much as we love our good ol’ Saint Nick, his unconventional movie avatars are always more appealing. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. There are some fun action moments, especially when Santa is getting beat up, but overcomes everyone with some blunt-force trauma each time.Sitting in the director's chair is Tommy Wirkola who is most known for his two fun zombie flicks Dead Snow and Dead Snow II. Midway through, a flashback to a Northman-style sequence reveals that Santa used to be a Viking warrior named Nicomond the Red, whose propensity for skull-smashing violence is conveniently triggered by the frightening circumstances of this particular Christmas Eve. The black levels are inky enough and allow for some of the other reds and blues outside to be distinguishable. 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 (David Harbour, Black Widow, Stranger Things series) is on the grounds, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint. John Leguizamo channeled his inner Hans Gruber as the film's big bad known only by his code name Scrooge.

But regardless of whether they deserve to be saved, Violent Night gives the Lightstones their own John McClane: Santa Claus, who’s also trapped in the Lightstone mansion after drunkenly falling asleep in a massage chair mid-cookie binge. Young Trudy is a delightful character, all positivity and sweetness, which is especially admirable given that she was raised wealthy and could have turned out selfish and greedy. If the film kept its pace as it runs in the last 15 or so minutes, Violent Night would be the perfect action movie. In other roles, Leguizamo stars as Ben, the leader of the mercenaries; D'Angelo as Gertrude, the matriarch of the family, Alex Hassell as Skyler, one of Gertrude's children who is spending Christmas with his wife and daughter at the family estate; and Alexis Louder as Margie Matthews, Skyler's estranged wife who is spending the holidays at the house so their daughter can have a good Christmas. However, her son Jason ( Alex Hassell), Trudy's father, finally stands up to his mother and quits the family business for good.The elements are in fine shape, presenting with good clarity regardless of the power and content, while spacing is excellent. The band of villains is led by a character played by Puerto Rican-Colombian actor John Leguizamo and also includes Filipino Canadian actor Stephanie Sy. Instead of taking the very tempting opportunity to get one last barb in, Gertrude lets him go for Trudy's sake proving that maybe she's not completely immune to a little Christmas spirit.

In a conversation with Alyse Wax, McCormick said: "We have a tendency to just keep our heads down and focus on what's in front of us, or near.Coming this holiday season, Violent Night is a darker and thrilling (but humorous nevertheless) take on the joyful festival as a badass Father Christmas slays bad people. David Harbour gives a terrific lead performance as Santa, displaying an emotional range way beyond what's expected and delivering some truly heartwarming moments with Leah Brady who brings a boundless optimism to her adorably innocent character.