REVIEW: Violent Night

Ho-ho-holy heck, this is a fun movie. And while it’s not a masterpiece—and certainly not a film that everyone will love—what Violent Night lacks in strong performances, it more than makes up for in deft humor, an intriguing plot and sweet, skull-crushing kills by Kris Kringle himself (to save Christmas, of course!).Set on the premise that Santa Claus interrupts a highly orchestrated assault on the compound of a wealthy family while delivering presents, this film follows as Saint Nick uses lessons from his harrowing past for good to protect a little girl and her family—crossing off a lot of names on his naughty list along the way.Violent Night is exactly what you’d expect, given the marketing materials, but it delivers in spades with a mix of Die Hard and Home Alone as powerful as a well-mixed Molotov cocktail. It’s certainly violent and bloody, but it’s a really fun time.And while the script isn’t the best and there weren’t any particular standout performances—there were a few eye rolls along the way—it has more depth than you might expect, including a secondary storyline that pulls at the heartstrings to great effect. For a movie full of violence, it captures the Christmas spirit in a surprisingly strong way.This is inarguably a Christmas movie, albeit not one that’s suited for the whole family and one that some may object o on its face, given the premise.If you prefer into the traditional fare like It’s a Wonderful Life (my favorite Christmas film, personally) Miracle on 34th Street and White Christmas, this one probably isn’t for you. And that’s OK—not every film is for every person.But if you throw in the offbeat greats every year like Jingle All the Way, Home Alone and Die Hard—yes, that’s a Christmas movie!!!—this is another gift that will keep on giving.The bottom line: This is a film all about rediscovering the magic of Christmas, and the joy of taking out the bad guys. But be sure to get a sitter—this one’s not for the kids. 9/10#violentnight #mickeyatthemovies #review #film #filmreview #moviereview #movie #movies