‘Violent Night’ review: Who is this murderous Santa movie for? 

Santa is coming to town, and he’s drunk, hot, and ready to go to war.

If you’re looking for a warm and fuzzy holiday movie, look no further. A Night of Violence and what we have to argue every year whether or not Die Hard it’s a Christmas movie. This is a dirty, but funny movie Die Hard but with Santa Claus as John McClane, an advocate of global justice, who is fighting a group of brutal thugs at a party turned out to be brutal.

But how is it possible? Well, let’s break it down.

I am A Night of Violence and Santa Slasher?

Credit: Allen Fraser / Universal Pictures

For those affected by the term, Santa Slasher is a horror genre in which Santa (or someone dressed as him) delivers deadly gifts. We are talking movies like Santa’s Slay, Silent Night Deadly Night, Export Export: A Christmas Tale, and – best of the bunch – Deadly Games, what it really is Home Alonebut with the mall Santa has turned into a killer.

A Night of Violence follows their footsteps, focusing on Santa (Stranger Things’ David Harbour) murder. But instead of whiny kids, loving families, or troubled parents, this Santa Claus is dedicated to giving those who destroy homes what they deserve. And it’s not a lump of coal. It is a Christmas ornament that is pushed into the eyeball into the brain. After all, killing with festive weapons – like a cane sharpened to a point – is part of the Santa Slasher’s bag.

In Violent Night, a group of misfits at the annual Lightstone family reunion all secretly carry weapons with seasonal codenames like Peppermint, Jingle, Krampus, and Scrooge (John Leguizamo as the movie’s answer to Hans Gruber). They can be God’s best friends. But it’s hard to feel that you have a lot of money at these prices because this family is grumbling about the evil Grinches.

The Lightstone family is made up of classic American stereotypes and escapades: a domineering and domineering matriarch (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Beverly D’Angelo), a money-grubbing donkey (Fair Gems‘ Edi Patterson), an ugly teenager (Alexander Elliot), a golden boy delinquent (Boys‘ Alex Hassell), and an aspiring film actor (Twilight is Cam Gigandet acting mercilessly Mark Wahlberg send).

With poster children of greed as victims, you may be tempted to root out the bandits. But among them, there is a sweet child (Leah Brady), who believes in Santa and the restorative power of Christmas. Once he gets in touch with Santa via walkie-talkie, persistent Kris Kringle is determined to give him the gift of survival. And maybe his badass family can share it – tender weather and all that.

I am A Night of Violence A family-friendly Christmas movie?

Credit: Allen Fraser / Universal Pictures

Although it has a heart of gold – under a pile of blood – this is a Christmas comedy in the vein of a crass classic. Scrooged but by acting liberally and violently. Which is to say: this R-rated movie is not for kids. It starts with a drunk and rowdy Santa at a bar, bellyaching about the world. While this may sound like a good idea — or a bit of fun — to adults, Santa’s frustrations can be confusing for young people. And if it’s not his fun experiment to start with a strong gathering!

Further, because Santa is fighting against criminals who threaten not only the joy of Christmas but also the beautiful child, the warrior in the red suit has a license to kill. Screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller follow many acts of violence, including gunfights, hangings, beheadings, sledgehammers, and explosions. In addition, the punchlines are often covered in glittering expletives, such as the unkind grandmother saying, “Don’t tell me it’s chocolate cake.”

Basically, if your Christmas viewing is like movies like Elf, A Christmas Story, or the Rankin’/Bass group, A Night of Violence it will detangle your hair and turn it into a beautiful white. But what if you’ve had the pleasure of sitting on the bloody feet of Santa Slashers? What if you’re a fan of some of Tommy Wirkola’s horror comics?

How is it going? A Night of Violence role as a film Tommy Wirkola?

Credit: Allen Fraser / Universal Pictures

The Norwegian writer/director made his mark in 2009 with Snow, a gruesome zombie film about college friends, whose ski vacation is cut short when Nazi soldiers rise from the dead. Four years later, Wirkola brought his brand of magical comedy to the legend and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, which memorably starred Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as vigilantes determined to overcome their childhood traumas by wiping evil witches off the map.

That Snow he was dark and black, Hansel and Gretel it had that American studio flair, yet was convincingly sick, filled with gratuitous violence and silly humor. When it came out, I called “Honey badger of the movies” (to leave the meme of the time), and even though the joke has aged the sentiment remains true. But nothing could have prepared me for the ultimate madness of 2014 Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead. A direct follow-up to his bloodbath, this one is so incredibly violent and twisted that I squealed with uncontrollable glee. And to be honest, you’d be hard-pressed to find a surprising yet meaningful ending in any genre.

So, with all these whirlwinds of Wirkola’s work dancing in my head like visions of sugar plums, I was eager. A Night of Violence. And I can confidently say that…it’s okay. For an American movie starring Santa killing people, it’s pretty amazing, showing the festive killing with a proper nod to the villainous Saint Nick. But for Wirkola’s film, it sounds like a tough one. He has given us villains, mass murder, and many chaotic heroes in the past.

Although decorated with clever Christmas-y props, the fight choreography is a little restrained, unadorned by swish props and uninspired animation. However, one Home Alone-an inspired sequence appears. There, Wirkola eagerly anticipates what his target will encounter as he chases down the plucky hero, and the payoff is as exciting as seeing a big shiny box with your name on it.

But if you’ve seen other videos like this or Wirkola’s other videos, there is none A Night of Violence he feels disrespected. This Santa may kill without remorse, but he also advises a child that “butthole” is too close to a swear word for those on the Nice List. However, credit where it’s due, Harbor sells the hell out of this line.

David Harbor slays as Santa in the A Night of Violence.

Credits: Universal Pictures

Dressed in red leather trimmed with shiny fur and with a bun that suggests it’s playtime, Harbor brings the spirit of beer that has become his trademark, from. Strange Things‘Hopperto Black Widow’and the Red Guardian to It’s Hellboy Hellboy. It’s his ugly but lovable personality that makes it A Night of Violence work, even when the script is lazy and the characters and the battle scenes don’t have a bad sheen.

Also, Harbor looks great as Santa. And Wirkola knows, gifting us this shirtless Santa shirt and leaning so close, you can smell old beer and sugar cookies on his breath. I’ll give it to both of them, Santa Slashers usually boast this way.

In the end, A Night of Violence it’s a mixed bag. It delivers on the seasonal and seasonal carnage required of the Santa Slasher genre and has a high production value that makes certain moments – like Santa chasing down the chimney – sing. It’s rated as raunchy, snarky, badass, and cartoony, which will satisfy your hunger for nonsense to ease the sugary taste of an onslaught of yuletide rom-coms. But in Wirkola’s work, it can be seen as an entry point. You’d have to be pretty stupid to go on this ride.

Perhaps the litmus test of A Night of Violence it’s this: does the idea of ​​Santa getting angry on the side of his scale – where reindeer fly over Washington DC – disgust you, cringe, or leave you snickering? If you are disgusted, shop elsewhere for your holiday cheer. If you’re scoffing, adjust your expectations before standing in line to see this Santa. If you’re upset, you better be careful Dead Snow 2.

A Night of Violence comes to theaters everywhere on Dec. 2.