Violent Night (2022)

Director: Tommy Wirkola

Starring: David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Beverly D’Angelo

When a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a wealthy family, Santa Claus must step in to save the day (and Christmas).

For some reason I believed ‘Violent Night’ to be a slasher horror movie. I couldn’t have been more wrong! This is predominantly comedy, but also a great action movie. This was a pleasant and delightful surprise.

The film had me hook, line and sinker from the opening scene. David Harbour stars as Santa Claus (the real Santa), complaining about “yet another Christmas” and naughty kids. This is completely in contrast to the loving, caring, patient Santa we’ve come to know. This Santa hates Christmas.

Santa happens to be at the Lightstone mansion when the house is sieged by a group of robbers demanding $300 million from the safe. The group is led by Mr Scrooge (John Leguizamo), who knows every detail about the Lightstone family. Head of the family, is the mother, Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), who shows no fear for the robbers. Her daughter Alva is there with her son, Bert, and movie star boyfriend Morgan. And then there’s Gertrude’s son, Jason, with his wife Linda and their daughter Trudy.

Little did Jason know when he gave Trudy a walkie talkie saying it was a direct line to Santa, that it would turn out to be exactly that, and that Santa would be the one to save the family. David Harbour does a mighty fine job as Santa, and he’s kinda sexy too.

If you’re looking to be entertained, ‘Violent Night’ has it all. The humour is really funny, the fight sequences are incredible, there’s loads of action, and there’s also gross killings (yup, there are horror elements too). To see a bunch of guys getting hammered (literally!) to the soothing sounds of Bryan Adams’ ‘Christmas Time’, is unforgettable!

Well, hell, this was very entertaining from beginning to end and this is going to be a guilty pleasure every Christmas – and throughout the year. It is a very different kind of Christmas movie, and one I enjoyed very much. It is in the vein of horror comedies like ‘Ready or Not’ and ‘The Babysitter’. Love it, love it, love it!

‘Violent Night’ was a box office success, earning $76 million on a $20 million budget.

Would I watch it again? Yup!!