Often times, Christmas movies especially in the country are always associated with a heavy family drama with a big confrontation as its climax. Then there are few horror movies, thanks to MMFF. This film festival that literally opens during Christmas day knows that horror is a fun and perfect genre that bonds cousins and siblings together in a jampacked theater. Then there are way more unconventional holiday movies that pop out from time to time--the Krampuses, the Office Christmas Parties, the Die Hards, and now Violent Night, the newest and craziest semi-origin film about the real Santa Claus we've never seen before. Played by David Harbour, Santa is now jaded, old, cranky, but he still has reindeers, he still has gifts to give, and he still has a list of people who are naughty and nice.
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| Photo Credit: Universal Pictures |
The film is set during Christmas eve when Santa is supposed to go house-to-house to give the nice kids their awaited gifts. His silent night turned unexpectedly violent when he enters the mansion of the corrupt, filthy rich Lightstone family who's being hostaged by criminals searching for their stolen millions of dollars.
Given the title, it's truly entertainingly violent. Not only in its action, but even in its script. The Lightstone family's matriarch played by Beverly D'Angelo has a lot of savage things to say about her family, and her children who now have families of their own also have their personal banter for each other. Their crisis is even more magnified when their lives are threatened by these robbers, apathetic, pointing at anyone to be killed first.
Yet, ironically, it still captures the Christmas spirit. As Santa enters the scenario to the family's rescue, they realize each other's importance. Thanks to the youngest and only nice Lightstone Trudy, they were forced to believe in their family and even believe the magic of Santa. These scenes are supposed to be heartwarming but you're already busy laughing and being disgusted by its gore to be touched, which is a welcome reaction for anyone who likes to have silly fun at the movies.
As again, it's terrifically violent. It speeds up during its intense, bloody but fun action scenes and slows down when it shows Santa Claus' origin which is less about him being a saint and more of him being a hardcore Viking, which again shows why he could fight off criminals with such power and intensity. David Harbour's aesthetic and characterization as Santa could even qualify as Jeff Bridges' The Dude.
The best parts, however, are the evident homage to Die Hard and especially Home Alone. Think of Macaulay Culkin Kevin's fun and homemade booby traps but make it way more sadistic and brutal. Some A Quiet Place moment even comes to mind.
Violent Night overall may not be the perfect Christmas movie to watch with conservative relatives. But if your family likes to laugh and banter with (and at) each other, this is a foolproof popcorn flick. Doesn't hurt that the blood in this could even be thicker than your family blood ;).
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A Universal Pictures International feature, Violent Night is NOW SHOWING in PH Cinemas.
Rated R-16 by the local censors board.
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