Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
People tend to have polarizing opinions about traditional Christmas films. They’re warm, happy hugs to some, and trite, overly cheery drivel to others. Not all Christmas films are created equal, however. From Bad Santa to Krampus, filmmakers have chosen to depict Christmas in a variety of unconventional ways to appeal to even the staunchest Christmas film hater. Director Tommy Wirkola’s Violent Night is yet another of these off-kilter films proving there’s a Christmas film for everyone, and while the Die Hard comparisons are inevitable, it has a personality and charm that is all its own.
The film opens in a mostly empty pub on Christmas Eve, where we meet our protagonist whose appetite for booze surpasses his craving for cookies: Santa Claus (David Harbour). This isn’t the jolly St. Nick of lore, however — quite the contrary. He’s a weathered, cantankerous soul who ponders to the bartender if this Christmas will be his last, and after the predicament he finds himself in delivering presents that evening, this may very well be the case. He visits a wealthy family in the midst of an armed hostage situation, and realizes he’s in danger. Unluckily for him, his “Christmas magic” is running low and his reindeer abandon him, leaving him to fend for himself. While mercenaries led by a vicious “Mr. Scrooge” (John Leguizamo) attempt to steal the family’s vast fortune, Santa must fight to stay alive and rescue the family before it’s too late. Fortunately, this isn’t Santa’s first rodeo and the bad guys start to massively regret being on his “naughty list.”
Violent Night has an irreverence about it that’s gritty and amusing, but also manages to scream “Christmas” consistently throughout, and it creates an interesting juxtaposition. While some films that don’t follow the traditional Christmas film formula treat the festive elements in it as secondary, this one keeps them all at the forefront, even in its most brutal moments. There are holiday-heavy visual gags aplenty in the film and they all work gloriously. Traditional Christmas decorations like light-up stars and candy canes are used as makeshift murder weapons in some creatively gory kill scenes, making much of the violence in the film wickedly funny. There are even scenes that pay homage to Home Alone’s slapstick-infused violence in the not-so-subtlest of ways, and rather than feeling like cheap winks, they seem organic and fun. Combined with a score that constantly gives nods to classic Christmas songs, it’s impossible to forget this film’s setting, even for a moment.
The absurd premise completely works thanks to its strong cast. David Harbour is an especially indispensable asset — so much so that it’s difficult to imagine anyone else as this Santa. His line delivery and physicality are perfect as a rough-around-the-edges, cynical hero. The film even gives Santa a Viking backstory to explain why this beloved icon is so good at kicking ass, and Harbour is entirely convincing as a former barbarian who knows how to skillfully crush skulls with a hammer. The supporting cast is equally great: the legendary Beverly D’Angelo plays the ruthless matriarch Gertrude Lightstone who keeps her cool despite her home being invaded, and Edi Patterson is a natural as Gertrude’s selfish, slightly insane daughter Alva. The despicable members of the Lightstone family are grounded by Gertrude’s son Jason (Alex Hassell) and his separated wife Linda (Alexis Louder), whose daughter together Trudy (Leah Brady) is a force to be reckoned with when the mercenaries try to catch her. Brady’s scenes with Harbour are especially enjoyable and serve as a catalyst for the audience to see the softer side of this Santa, which in turn gives a bit more dimension to an otherwise fairly straightforward, single-note movie.
Violent Night is a fresh, clever take on the unconventional Christmas film. There is no other that is quite as bloody, but also somehow manages to maintain the Christmas spirit. It’s nothing deep, but that’s never its intent. It’s comfortable doing exactly what it does, and does it exceedingly well. This fast-paced, laugh-out-loud funny action film will keep people entertained throughout, and if they’re in on the joke, chances are very few will leave theaters saying “bah humbug.”
—Andrea Riley