Violent Night (2022) User Reviews

This Santa Dies Hard

[danchilton-71955 · 8/10 · 30 December 2022]

Possibly the most tedious film question ever asked is, "is Die Hard a Christmas movie?" Violent Night says "what if Die Hard WAS a Christmas movie?"

Its an excellent mix of two genres. First and foremost it's a (very violent) man in a tight spot action movie but hidden beneath is a traditional Christmas story of people becoming believers and a jaded main character getting their feative mojo back.

The film success is largely down to David Harbour's fantastic turn as a disillusioned St Nick. His ability to project charisma even when appearing tired and fed up carries the day, or in this case, night. He also cleverly avoids the trap of playing Santa too dark, for all his boozing and necessary killing he is still recognisably Father Christmas. The rest of the cast are all decent as well, with John Leguiziamo making a fun villian. Even the child character manages to not be annoying, although some of her dialogue hints that they had originally wanted a younger actress than Leah Brady.

The other big plus Violent Night has is its, well violence. The set pieces go above and beyond, with villians being impaled, burned and dismembered. Highlights include a Home Alone inspired sequence (turns out the invaders in this film are a lot less durable than Harry and Marv) and a Mortal Kombat worthy finish to the final showdown. There's also a decent vain of comedy even if you won't exactly be guffawing in the aisles.

There are a couple of things that take you out of proceedings, like the bad guys refusal to just shoot their guns and some very generic family interactions, but overall Violent Night is a very fun couple of hours.

8 lumps of coal for 10 naughty mercenaries.

Better than I expected, in the Die Hard field.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 6 January 2023]

A wealthy family home is invaded by a group of criminals, their only hope is Santa Claus.

I think this film may surprise a few, I was pleasantly surprised, action packed, violent, quietly amusing, I have a feeling that for those of us that adore Die Hard, and embrace it as a Christmas movie, this is probably going to be up your Street. I'm not sure it's deserving of cult status, but don't ask me why, I have a feeling that in years to come, this may well develop something of a following.

The clue is in the title, Violent Night, and boy this film doesn't hold back, in terms of violence and manner of deaths, this film packs a real punch, you will see all sorts, people dismembered, shot, impaled, it really doesn't hold back.

If Santa did actually pop down for a visit, I can imagine him being this disillusioned, this irritated, with a genuinely low opinion of people, this is where the film scores in my opinion, the performance of David Harbour, who is genuinely very good.

Enjoyable music throughout, good special effects, plenty of action, Violent Night was a Christmas surprise.

7/10.

Exactly what you'd expect.

[benjaminskylerhill · 7/10 · 2 December 2022]

And there's nothing wrong with that.

When Violent Night is good, it's really good. It isn't always nearly as entertaining as it could be, but it definitely capitalises on its goofy premise in all the right ways at various points.

The violence is blunt and rudimentary, but there's something strikingly effective about it. Each hit is loud and visceral, and many of the actual deaths are a lot more creative than I was expecting them to be, even if the violence leads me up to each death is pretty by-the-numbers.

I was pleasantly surprised with the small but satisfying character arcs that the script weaves into the simple story. Santa is given a cynical outlook on humanity and himself to overcome, the family has tension to work out, and the mythology of Santa's backstory is actually given a twist to make his capacity for violence make sense in this movie.

There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about any of this, but it's all crafted with care and it's investing enough that I could easily see myself watching this in subsequent years.

Its aforementioned strengths help it largely overcome its weak supporting actors, dialogue that's sometimes so corny it's cringey, and its few too many scenes of characters sitting and talking.

Die Hard Santa

[danielcereto · 7/10 · 25 December 2022]

This movie is a beautiful mixture of Die Hard, Home Alone, Thor... It also contains several cliches from other movies. Not a problem. Yes, it's predictable, but it is kind of different of what we usually recieve on Christmas, and I personally appreciate different movies.

First, action, gore and scenarios are great. Also the main cast. I think almost everyone here does a great job. I really enjoyed music used here too. Great choices.

Second, the script is predictable but at the same time, it keeps you entertained from beginning till the end. Raw action mixed with some goofy scenes.

So, overall if you want to watch a different brutal action Christmas thriller, this one is for you.

This took me back to 1990

[bonez-oz · 7/10 · 16 December 2023]

Simply put this movie is Die Hard mixed with The Santa Clause mixed with Home Alone (Macaulay Culkin would be proud). It's an enjoyable romp and should be included in any action movie fan's Christmas playlist. Sure there's some questionable content. I've noticed that directors love putting David Harbour in red, but he suited the role, and the teeny tiny bit of an origin story was, well, interesting. I'd love to see that made into an origin movie.

But, like I said, if you're an Christmas action movie person, who enjoyed Die Hard and consider it a Christmas movie, Violent Night is a good addition to your yearly play list.

Santa's got a brand new bag

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 30 November 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. HO-HO-HO! Who is ready for the best ever Santa slasher movie? Admittedly, it's a narrow sub-genre and anyone that knows me or reads my reviews, knows full well that this is not the type of movie I typically recommend. However, it's the season for charity and director Tommy Wirkola (HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, 2013 - sequel in the works) and co-writers Pat Casey and John Miller (the screenwriters behind the "Sonic the Hedgehog" films) have gifted us an extremely violent and often very funny Christmas present, replete with a sledgehammer-slinging Santa Claus.

We first meet an inebriated Santa ("I'm on a break") at a local pub, where he explains to a mall Santa why he has become so disenchanted with the job ... greedy, self-centered kids who only want more video games. The booze numbs Santa's disgust as he heads off on his sleigh ... and Wirkola delivers the first shocking moment as Santa's barf keys us into the type of twisted tale we are about to experience. David Harbour (best known for "Stranger Things" and HELLBOY, 2019) is absolutely all-in for this far-from-glamorous portrait of jolly ol' Saint Nick. On his rounds, Santa raids household liquor stashes while chomping on cookies and eschewing skim milk. He's a full-blown slob, yet still holds a soft spot for "nice" kids, while having little mercy for the "naughty" among us.

Most of the story takes place at the Lightstone family compound, where one-percenter Gertrude (CHRISTMAS VACATION alum Beverly D'Angelo) is the foul-mouthed matriarch ruling over her entitled and unlikable family consisting of daughter Alva (Edi Patterson) and her airhead-actor husband Morgan (Cam Gigandet) and their poser teenage son Bert (Alexander Elliot). Also present for the festive evening are Gertrude's son Jason (Alex Hassell), his estranged wife Linda (Alexis Louder) and their precious 7-year-old daughter Trudy (Leah Brady). Santa arrives at the Lightstone mansion not long before a team of mercenaries, led by Mr Scrooge (John Leguizamo), storm the place and take the family members hostage. Their mission is to break into the family vault and abscond with $300 million in cash.

What follows is a demented mash-up of DIE HARD (1989), HOME ALONE (1990), BAD SANTA (2003), and THOR (2011). Deadly weapons used here include your expected firearms, but also a finely-honed candy cane, an icicle, a skating shoe, and a Christmas tree star, among other holiday items. Most prominent is the sledgehammer wielded by Santa, and the flashback to his pre-Santa days for explanation. The violent action is plentiful, and it's well-balanced with countless lines of comedy. Surprisingly, there is a story nestled in amongst the mayhem, and the heart of it revolves around the bond between Santa and young Trudy. She's a true believer in him and that overrides his uncertainty about the job, and inspires him to stick around for the fight. Santa can't explain the mystique of Christmas "magic", but he does know an 1100 year marriage has its ups and downs.

Obviously, this is not one for the kiddos (it's a hard R-rating), and they should be shielded from this Yuletide yuck. Director Wirkola has delivered an instant holiday classic for those seeking the bizarro world flicks contrasting to the more respectable family fare of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and A CHRISTMAS STORY. Who would have ever thought that Festivus might be the safer holiday?

Opens in theaters on December 2, 2022.

Santa Wick

[jack_o_hasanov_imdb · 7/10 · 31 December 2022]

The first movie I watched in the new year, 2023. I regret not seeing it in the cinema. I really liked the movie. It was fun. It's like a family movie though, with lots of bloody scenes. There was a lot of inexplicable stuff about Santa in the movie. This shows that there will be a second movie. According to me. Acting was good. David Harbor was great again. I liked the movie overall, except for a few cringe scenes. The action scenes weren't bad either. It was a funny movie. It was a movie that didn't take itself seriously, but took it seriously at the same time. I recommend. It was one of the best movies of 2022 for me.

Brutal delight

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 2 December 2022]

Such a wonderful spin on a horror/comedy where Santa Claus is the hero! David Harbor is absolutely perfect for this role has the best voice and great thrill to see in anything he's in! To me this is one of the best Christmas movies out there along with Bad Santa. I would defiantly agree with anyone that loved Violent Night, it's a great mix of Home Alone, John Wick, and any horror Christmas movie. Tommy Wirkola directed a pure blast of entertainment! I sorta can see how it could get hate the family was a little obnoxious at times but I void that out cause everything else positive outweighs heaps.

Definetely how I like to start the season.

[subxerogravity · 7/10 · 2 December 2022]

As far as Christmas movies go, is this better than Die Hard? Of course not! However, it's no doubt a Christmas movie. David Harbor plays a Santa Claus who lost his Christmas spirit and gets it back by going total medieval on a gang of kidnappers looking to take a small fortune from the type of rich folks you hate the most over the Holiday season. Harbor's Santa reminds me a lot of his version of Hellboy, I think when it comes down to it both pictures are Metal as Hell, and it's like Mr. Stranger Things just doing vocals for both albums. Mr. John Leguizamo is in the flick as the naughtiest of naughty men (not as naughty as Hans Gruber, but who can be). Like a sick guitar riff Leguizamo brings his season experience as an actor to create an interesting and funny bad guy. Leaning towards the Home Alone factor, this movie is as violent as the title suggests, which is rare, really. The little kid in turns out to be worse than Kevin McCallister when it comes to projecting her home from criminal masterminds. It's like someone read the minds of every person that watches Die Hard on Christmas day and just wanted to give us something official. I appreciate that.

Good idea. Horrible execution.

[styliano-87243 · 3/10 · 10 December 2022]

I loved the idea of having a badass Santa trying to save the day and all the scenes with David Harbour (Santa) . And that's about it.

Most of the dialogues and plot lines were extremely cheesy and cliche. I found the acting of the rest of the cast very poor and cringy, the script was very repetitive (how many "I believe in you Santa" can you squeeze into one movie; well take that and triple it).

In summary, +1 for the attempt to differentiate from traditional Christmas movies; the whole concept of seeing Santa beating people up while dropping cheesy Xmas lines is indeed entertaining +1 for David Harbour who portrayed Santa +1 for the production.

Violent Night is a modern Christmas classic!

[msbreviews · 8/10 · 30 November 2022]

If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free thoughts, please follow my blog to read my full review :)

"Violent Night is one of the biggest surprises of the year, instantly becoming a contemporary Christmas classic! David Harbour expertly embodies a shockingly brutal, savage version of Santa Claus that somehow still delivers lovely messages.

Fighting sequences feature truly violent practical stunts, taking advantage of the R rating to provide unmeasurable amounts of gore. Creative use of Christmas songs will leave audiences crying with laughter.

A brilliant homage to the seasonal genre classics that should be seen in a packed theater!"

Rating: A-

A fun Christmas movie for the entire age-appropriate family.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 29 December 2022]

I would've liked to see more and funnier comedic moments, but there are still some fun laughs in this film. It sure beats all the romantic cheesy Christmas films that are in abundance this time of year. The directing was decent, and the pacing was spot-on in the comfortable 112 minute runtime. The story was pretty much predictable, although there were many refreshing references to past iconic Christmas holiday films. All casting and performances were excellent. Even the score and holiday soundtrack was on point. It's certainly an enjoyable one-time watch of mindless entertainment, and a well deserved 7/10 from me.

Meh.

[krzysiektom · 4/10 · 3 December 2022]

I have heard great things, I expected a very good, fun, thrilling movie. No, it's none of these things. It's not very good, because the direction is lacking and the script is poor. It's not very fun because there's not much of witty and funny dialogue in the script. And its not really thrilling. The fight scenes are mediocre, shot in close ups, often in the dark. Only the final fight, between the Santa and the Leguizamo character, got me excited. The tone of the movie is very uneven, it jumps between irreverent brutality mixed with gross cussing and the overly sweet, syrupy moments of family-friendly melodrama. It's like a weird mixture of a Tarantino movie and a Hallmark Christmas one. Apart from the Santa and the little girl all other characters are lazily written, even Leguizamo is a bit bland. The score is irritating, at least for me. So, the idea was excellent, but the execution pretty disappointing. 4/10 from me.

HO HO HO Holy Mother, that was fun!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 29 December 2023]

Isn't it fantastic when everything you love nicely comes together? Especially around Christmas! What I like to do most during the holiday period is watching at least one - preferably more - Christmas horror movies, but the two mainstream non-horror Christmas movies that I've seen the most (that everyone has seen the most, for that matter) are "Die Hard" and "Home Alone".

"Violent Night" may not be a genuine horror movie, but it's excessively violent for sure, and - moreover - it's a love letter to the two aforementioned cinematic Christmas landmarks! Tommy Wirkola, who brought us the refreshing "Dead Snow", goes mainstream with this thrill-ride of an actioner about Santa Clause - the real one - battling a small army of evil scoundrels and protecting a cute girl and her rotten wealthy family during a heist/home invasion. It's not very original, it's not particularly sophisticated, but it sure is a lot of fun.

Certain ideas and gimmicks in the script are genius, like Santa having a Viking background, the casting of Beverly D'Angelo as a loathsome hag of a matriarch, or the killing of thugs with Christmas attributes like candy canes or electric lights. Other parts are clichéd and/or sentimental (but mandatory), like the overlong "true meaning of Christmas" conversations, but that's just a minor default. The "John Wick" type of battle in the bar is déjà-vu but nonetheless exciting, especially because it's to the cheesy tones of Bryan Adams' "Christmas Time". There are other jolly great songs on the soundtrack, like from Slade and Burl Ives, and a great role for John Leguizamo as über-villain "Scrooge".

Ho, Ho, Holy sh--

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 30 December 2023]

'Violent Night (2022)' is surprisingly earnest in its themes of Christmas magic and rekindling your Christmas spirit. What initially seems like a sardonic anti-Christmas movie soon reveals itself to be genuinely interested in spreading Yuletide cheer, although that's not to imply it doesn't also feature all the brutality, bad language and bodily fluids its concept promises. Merging 'Die Hard (1988)', 'Home Alone (1990', 'Bad Santa (2004)' and 'John Wick (2014)' (or, perhaps more accurately, some of its lesser imitators), the piece provides a stockingful of festive fun despite its undeniably derivative nature. David Harbour and John Leguizamo make up for the cast's general lack of charisma, as they're eminently watchable and sell even the silliest of dialogue. Though the piece is certainly self-aware, it's also really sincere and it establishes a strong sense of character for its central figure. In fact, Papa Noël actually has a relatively convincing character arc which prevents his inclusion from feeling as half-baked as it may initially seem. Although the flick sometimes comes closer to feeling like 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)' than 'Die Hard (1988)' (particularly when it comes to most elements not directly associated with Santa), it features plenty of well-choreographed and exciting set-pieces that revel in all the gory mayhem you could want. The action never rises to the level of something like 'John Wick (2014)', but it's better than a lot of similar American stuff and it continues the welcome post-'Wick' trend of having clean camera work that favours wider compositions. The movie is really fun when it gets going. It has a few issues here and there, and it's arguably a little too sappy for its own good, but it's an entertaining actioner with a strong central performance and several accomplished set-pieces.

Refreshing

[richard_anderlund · 7/10 · 2 January 2023]

Feels very much like Agatha Christie wrote the script and had to mix it with a part of Die Hard 2 and a part of Bad Santa and a little Home Alone.

Although nothing is especially new, it's a very standard action movie after all, it managed to feel refreshing and entertaining, and funny at the same time. The violence is so over the top, it almost becomes funny and something that makes the movie more appealing to a gore enthusiast like me.

It's only real flaw lies in some scenes that do not make sence. I would also have appreciated more background information on the characters, but it had taken too long. For me it will be a seven, but it was very close to an eight in rating.

I can strongly recommend this movie to enyone who likes to be entertained!

Hire better writers next time

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 23 December 2022]

The trailer for this one was excellent. Santa versus the robbers in a kind of ultra-Christmas variant on DIE HARD, itself a perennial Christmas favourite. David Harbour riding high from the success of STRANGER THINGS, and John Leguizamo a reliably entertaining villain. What could go wrong, right? Well, the presence of the writers behind the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG films (!) is the sticking point here, because VIOLENT NIGHT struggles with a puerile script and a tone that bounces back and forth between gory black humour and saccharine schmaltz presented unironically. Seriously, who thought the kid would be a good addition here? It should have been much harder and darker, more like the MOTHER'S DAY remake with Rebecca De Mornay. A shame, as the DEAD SNOW director works his socks off and the action's fun.

Funny, thrilling, heartfelt, and whimsical - an unexpectedly great Christmas action-comedy!

[I_Ailurophile · 9/10 · 8 December 2023]

It speaks so well to the movie that even in its opening scene it manages to swirl together holiday cynicism, holiday magic, and modern comedy, well before the plot picks up for real. Following the title screen writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller, and director Tommy Wirkola, swiftly prove that the first taste was no fluke, for right off the bat this is simply a joy. As we're introduced to our characters we meet a Santa who is all but completely over it all, a deeply divided, mostly unlikable family whose dynamics and personalities recall the Bluth clan of 'Arrested development' (in the original three seasons, when it was funny), and a group of criminals who in their brutality and sobriety represent a distinct foil (well, mostly). Even early on David Harbour fully commands the show with each scene where he dons the red suit, white beard, and black boots, yet with surprisingly strong violence adjoining the bombastic wry humor, in no time 'Violent night' is fabulously entertaining and strings us along for a wild ride that moves fast. I'd heard good word of mouth, but this is even better than I'd hoped!

Anchored by those scant few characters that are likable and sympathetic, there's a meaningful current of earnestness in the storytelling that helps to ground it amidst the cheeky echoes of 'Die hard,' the swarthy smarm of the obscenely rich and powerful, the unabashed blend of action thrills and riotous irreverence, and the pointedly peppy, cheerful soundtrack. (And, okay, also those few sweeping themes that would feel right at home in the latest highfalutin superhero flick.) Casey and Miller penned an outstanding screenplay that twists holiday themes and ephemera into the most delightfully warped interpretations of adrenaline-pumping fight sequences and winking, brazen frivolousness. The characters and dialogue are sharp and biting, the scene writing is unexpectedly smart, clever, and varied, and the narrative is richer and more thoughtful than I could have guessed even as it's liberally peppered with free-wheeling, crimson-soaked ridiculousness. The fact that we even get some inside information on Santa himself is just icing on the cake, to say nothing of "the meaning of Christmas." This is definitely not to count out Wirkola, whose tight direction brings every tiny moment to vivid, invigorating life with equal parts joyfulness and ferocity; 'Violent night' may be a romp, but it's an extraordinarily well made one.

As the writing and direction lay the foundation, that excellence extends to every component part. Where computer-generated imagery is employed it looks great and blends well into the filmed footage; more importantly, the panoply of stunts, practical effects, and fight choreography is phenomenal. Some small moments are genuinely cringe-worthy, some of the blood and gore is entirely over the top, and some bits are so hard-hitting and impactful that if the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme were subbed in for Harbour, John Leguizamo, or Mitra Suri this could have been any more straightforward action flick. At the same time, the cast give fine, heartfelt performances to realize the fraught emotions of the underlying drama - including even young Leah Brady - and it's readily apparent that the actors are just as capable when it comes to embracing the forcefulness of the violence, the whimsy of the fantastical elements, and the raucousness of the comedy. Even beyond the aspects borne of the action, the setting and scene writing also provides the basis for terrific art direction, costume design, and hair and makeup. Even the props and weapons look splendid, and keen cinematography and editing help to visualize every piece and otherwise shape the picture into a solid, compelling whole.

Somewhere within the last act there does come a point where the tone shifts ever so slightly, and I think it amounts to the comedy fading out as the saga climbs toward its climax. For as much as the title is a zany lark, at its core it relies on a delicate balance between three primary facets of its storytelling; no matter how conscious - and reasonable, within the broad structure of fiction - the reduction of one facet somewhat weakens the whole. (Imagine, if you will, a table with three legs, and one of those legs begins to shrink.) Yet even with this in mind, far more than not the film is so tremendously shrewd and dexterous in every capacity that the loss of some measure of strength in the back end is ultimately rather negligible. It's narrow of purpose and wide of vision, and manages to very ably weave in a wider array of ideas and feelings than one would assume of a Christmas-themed action flick. The central tenet was pure entertainment, yet the skill, intelligence, and sincerity that brings that entertainment to bear is really very impressive. For all the broad praise I'd gathered about 'Violent night' since its release I had every reason to think I'd like it, and still I'm blown away by just how fun and weirdly well-rounded it is. It's safe to say that it won't appeal to everyone, but if you're open to hard-charging action movies, and the swirl of action with comedy, AND the infusion of holiday embellishments, then it's really just hard to go wrong here. Whatever your impetus for watching this 2022 feature is a wonderful time, and I'm happy to give it my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!

Bad Santa + Die hard + Home Alone + decapitations

[daveplumbzero · 7/10 · 31 December 2022]

I thought the trailer looked potentially funny, but not likely to work when you watch the full film. Surprisingly it did. David harbour plays the real deal Santa Claus, who had lost belief in what he does because of the generations of kids who just expect video games and cash for Christmas. He ends up stumbling into a money heist at the home of a wealthy but dysfunctional family, and despite trying to avoid the situation, the young girl in trouble asking for help us just too much for him to ignore.

Let's be clear, this is inappropriate for kids. From how bad Santa has become (swearing, drinking) to how messy the film gets with blood and decapitation. And it's that that makes the film entertaining, of only because there's not too much like it. The heist is very die hard (with plenty of references), a 5 min home alone tribute that turns things up a notch compared to McCauley culkins efforts. The fights with Santa aren't 100% great, but he always finishes well

The bad thing with this movie is the family overall. The kid is cute enough, but everyone else is annoying. In some ways it's intentional, there's meant to be a couple of good eggs in a family full of vain rich annoyances, but still not entertaining on their end. Also, as entertaining as the movie is, it is silly, don't expect clever writing, but just go with it (I mainly have it a go for stranger things David harbour, legend)

Humbug

[statuskuo · 3/10 · 3 December 2022]

This laborious trog through bits and pieces of cool ideas gets frustratingly derivative of every single home invasion trope mixed with a (clearly) not villainous villain. The least they could do is maybe include the backstory of John Leguizamo's character quicker. How much he hates Christmas and how his worst nightmare would have to be to go mano-a-mano with the man himself. The LEAST they could do is an action catchphrase like "Sorry, Jimmy, you're now a stocking stuffer" when he drives him up a chimney and turns him to pulp. None of this is as fun as I'm explaining it. Because it takes the dumbest parts of "Die Hard" and adds in a very baffling McGuffin. And, honestly, the villain are justified in their crime. Since the matriarch of the family played by Beverly D'Angelo is the ballbusting head of family and a very bad person. The "terrorists" are also very uneven in humor. At once they talk about holding onto a man's phallus as it's being fed to a nutcracker (get it?!) and the next they're into "Home Alone" booby trapped antics. It was a misstep and the tone of the film is so uneven. The balance of laughs is way off. Also the guy who plays the Dad seems more like a Dad than Liberace. He isn't convincing in the least. As either a Father or a son of Beverly D'Angelo.

David Harbour plays Santa Claus. In this case, a reborn Nordic warrior who was given the power to return his crimes of violence to do good. This makes a LOT more sense if it opened the movie, and then have him at the bar. You see what I mean by poor structure? It was such a layup and the template was there. The little girl Trudy is obnoxious. She is clearly playing the always good kid kid. This type in movies irk me the most. They are total gems because the script needs them to be. The "I wish Father and Mother would get back together" corny "Parent Trap" trope works in specific tones of films but not really shoehorned into a decidedly brutal violent movie.

There are too many moments of drag. Everytime Harbour is alone talking to Trudy, you expect some pearl of wisdom. Or clever dialogue, but extend Bruce Willis's John McClane talk to Al Powell during when he speaks of his wife and multiply that by a thousand and that is what you will be putting yourself through.

Has the bar of movies gone so low that we see this flick as "original" It is a lazy, tired, boring story written by stunt people who probably suffered horrific head injury. This is tacked on sentiment which lacks so much heart. Harbour wants to be that smug reluctant hero. But, the concept of St. Nick holds him to a standard these people forgot.

A gimmick flick filled with poor choices. It could've been really fun.

This movie could only be so good. And it was!

[michaelaw-04703 · 9/10 · 4 December 2022]

Look no one is coming here to be intellectually challenged and Action Santa flics isn't exactly an oscar-batting genre. That being said this movie hit 100% of its potential. It surpassed the restrictions of the genre and made it a little deeper. I went in expected some solid action and that was it. The cast all over performed. It's not Shawshank redemption nor could it ever be but it was the absolute best movie it could have been. The best part of the movie was the score. Dominic Lewis delivered a master piece of emotion all while keep the music within holiday theme. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel but if there is I'll be in the front row.

A different Christmas movie!

[ItsRobinTV · 7/10 · 2 December 2022]

I love it that this is a action Christmas movie because we haven't got this in a while. The jokes are good but not always hit me hard. Santa Clause is a scene stealer and by far the best Character. All the family members are ok but have no depth even the ones who should have depth.

Also the movie is very brutal for a FSK 16 but it's funny to see a real Santa Clause fight some bad guys. This is the heart of the story and it makes sooo much fun watching. The story is ok. We are supposed to see a movie where Santa stops bad guys who want to steal from this family but we don't really care about that plot, but that's ok cause that plot isn't that great.

Overall it's a good brutal Christmas movie that is something different.

Almost awesome

[FeastMode · 5/10 · 2 December 2022]

Violent Night is a pretty cool idea for a movie. David Harbour is a perfect casting choice. I was really enjoying it for a while but there are a few mixed aspects that hold it back for me.

The action scenes are really good with clear camera work and good choreography. The only problem is the scarcity. I believe there are two action scenes before the climax. I wanted more.

I was really surprised at how often they seemed to shy away from showing the violence in a move with the word "violent" in the title. Now there is definitely a bunch of violence and gore. But there are numerous times where they use strategies seen in PG-13 movies, like cutting away or having the scene darkly lit. They shortchanged the gore fans.

And while I thought there were some good heartfelt moments, it became mushy and cheesy more than once.

I mostly enjoyed this movie, but I can't help but feel disappointed at how close it came to being awesome. (1 viewing, opening Thursday SuperScreen 12/1/2022)

Die Hard when Home Alone with Santa Clause

[Hammer-Rocks · 7/10 · 29 December 2023]

This movie turned out suprisingly entertaining. It was much better than I expected. I ignored this movie for a few weeks but when I saw reviews in IMDB, I decided to watch it. And I'm glad I did.

Think of this as amalgamation of Die Hard, Home Alone & Santa Clause movies. It is a very different take on Santa. A Santa whose inner animal has been unleashed. And while it is gory in many areas, it never truly takes itself seriously. The movie has plenty of comedy thrown here and there. Some good, some terrible. But all-in-all, it was entertaining.

So, if you don't take this movie seriously and accept it for what it is - ie. Pure mindless entertainment - then you won't be disappointed.

SUMMARY: A different take on a Christmas movie and Santa Clause. It's entertainment not for kids.

Santa with a man bun?! Yes please!

[dreamphotographystudio · 7/10 · 29 November 2023]

I love David Harbour and very much enjoyed seeing him kick anus as Santa Claus!!! Fun Christmas movie with some laughs and lots of blood. Great to see Ellen Griswold in another Christmas flick (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is one of my all time favorite Christmas movies) as well as Judy Gemstone doing what she does best! Not the best movie out there but an enjoyable dark comedy action flick that is both anti Christmas (think the Ref) and surprisingly full of Christmas spirit too. I never thought I'd think Santa Claus was attractive but that man bun was... ho... ho... hot!!! Sorry not sorry ;)