Violent Night review

VIOLENT NIGHT: 

A BLOODY FUNNY GOOD TIME WITH PLENTY OF CHRISTMAS SPIRIT! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

David Harbour as Santa Claus in Violent Night

 

            Santa Claus is coming to town…to kick some ass in Violent Night, the new Christmas-themed action-comedy from Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, The Trip) and produced by David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Bullet Train). Granted, the concept of an edgy Santa is nothing new as it’s been done numerous times before in movies and television from slasher films about a killer Santa to mean-spirited comedies like Bad Santa. 

            How about an action hero version of Santa? Well, your Christmas wish has been granted! I was onboard for this movie since I first saw the trailer and while I do love me some Christmas Story, Grinch, and Home Alone every year, sometimes I’m in the mood for things like Die Hard, Bad Santa, and yes even Violent Night. 

            Die Hard may remain the definitive “Not for Kids” Christmas action classic, I had a really good time with this movie and found it action-packed, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt all at the same time. All I needed was Santa kicking ass and making jokes, but I was impressed at how invested I was in the story and characters. 

            The film follows a washed-up Santa Claus (David Harbour-Stranger Things, Hellboy (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe) who has been doing his job for an incredibly long time and is starting to question what’s it all for. Kids today have become consumed with greed and are more interested in wanting rather than believing which absolutely crushes Saint Nick’s spirits. 

            However, when a group of thieves led by the cleverly named Scrooge (John Leguizamo-Super Mario Bros., Kick-Ass 2, The Menu) break into a family’s house on Christmas Eve and hold everyone hostage including a little girl named Trudy (Newcomer Leah Brady), Santa may get a chance to rekindle his love for the holiday by saving the day and leaving these naughty criminals not with coal but in body bags. 

            The film also stars Alex Hassell (Anonymous, Suburbicon, The Tragedy of Macbeth) as Jason Lightstone, Alexis Louder (Harriet, The Tomorrow War, Copshop) as Linda Matthews, Cam Gigandet (Twilight, Easy A, The Magnificent Seven (2016)) as Morgan Steele, Edi Patterson (Knives Out, Vice Principals, The Righteous Gemstones) as Alva Steele-Lightstone, Beverly D’Angelo (Coal Miner’s Daughter, National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise, American History X) as Gertrude Lightstone, Brendan Fletcher (Smallville, Freddy VS Jason, The Revenant) as Krampus, André Eriksen (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Vikings, The Last Kingdom) as Gingerbread, and Alexander Elliot (The Hardy Boys, Trapped: The Alex Cooper Story) as Bertrude “Bert”. 

            Overall, Violent Night may not be the next Die Hard, but it’s an outrageously fun time that gloriously lives up to its name. The action scenes are unapologetically bloody and filled with over-the-top kills including one involving a Christmas star and probably the most satisfying death in the entire film, Death by Chimney…I’ll just leave it at that! 

            I also like how this version of Santa is an extremely flawed character who has lost his way but regains his confidence and appreciation for his job because of the courage of a little girl who’s being held hostage by the criminals. Honestly, the connection Santa and the girl have is actually really sweet and the emotional highlight of the film. 

            You’ll have moments where Santa reassures the girl that she and her family will be safe, but then there are scenes where she asks him about his own problems, and they help each other out. It’s a genuinely touching friendship these two have…in this movie about an ass-kicking Santa! 

            David Harbour shines as this badass version of Santa Claus who I can only describe as Billy Bob Thornton from Bad Santa if he actually was Santa. He’s funny, cynical, and relentlessly aggressive, but still vulnerable and human, Harbour does a superb job bringing the action and laughs while also selling the dramatic moments. 

            John Leguizamo is having a ball as the film’s villain who finds a perfect middle-ground between being over-the-top funny and threatening. I literally just saw him in The Menu a couple weeks ago which featured one of his most restrained performances in years, whereas with here, Leguizamo is hamming it up, chewing the scenery, and having such a great time with his performance that it’s impossible not to laugh. 

            I had a good time with it, but if I have to point out some flaws with Violent Night, it would be its marketing. I’m not saying the trailer, but the commercials that call it “Die Hard Meets Home Alone” which I get the Die Hardcomparison as this is about a group of people being held hostage by criminals with Santa as the stand-in for Bruce Willis’ John McClane, but aside from a few Home Alone references sprinkled in and one sequence involving similar booby-traps, it really doesn’t have much of a connection to Home Alone than what the ads would make you think. 

            Violent Night is unapologetically violent, darkly comical, and surprisingly heartfelt, all the makings for an unconventional Christmas classic that will give you blood-stained holiday cheer.