Violent Night

Violent Night (2022)

Action-Oriented Christmas Spirit with a Body Count

★★★☆☆

Watched 18 Dec 2024 — A welcome, ultra-violent counter-programming to holiday schmaltz that packs a surprising amount of heart.

Directed by Tommy Wirkola, Violent Night leans into the "Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?" debate by delivering a morbidly funny, high-octane holiday slasher. David Harbour plays a grumpy, lethal Santa Claus who finds himself defending a wealthy family from mercenaries. While the premise is wild and occasionally offensive, the film succeeds by not taking itself seriously. It balances an impressive body count and unique kills with genuine "Christmas story heart," largely thanks to the innocent childhood charms of Leah Brady. It is a runaway train of silly, bloody holiday fun.

"It's not only just blood and gore, Violent Night also delivers some action-oriented Christmas spirit... Only a scrooge would not be moved by the innocent childhood charms of Leah Brady."

— Ray Manukay

🎬 Cast & Crew

• Director: Tommy Wirkola
• Starring: David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Leah Brady
• Supporting: Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Beverly D'Angelo
• Studio: Universal Pictures

The Vision

Wirkola’s vision is unapologetically "after-hours" holiday entertainment. He creates a world where magical realism meets John Wick-style choreography, specifically designed for audiences tired of the repetitive Christmas movie catalog. The directorial focus is on "crowd-pleasing unique kills" and visceral action, but it wisely anchors the mayhem in the relationship between Santa and a young believer. It’s a film that knows exactly what it is: a violent, festive spectacle that replaces schmaltz with adrenaline and coal-fueled vengeance.

🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Home Alone Homage: The film features a brutal, R-rated tribute to the booby traps from [Home Alone](https://www.imdb.com), showing what those injuries would actually look like in reality.
• Harbour's Training: [David Harbour](https://www.imdb.com) underwent extensive combat training to perform many of his own stunts, bringing a "heavy-hitter" physicality to Saint Nick.
• Die Hard Roots: The screenwriters explicitly set out to create a film that would sit alongside [Die Hard](https://www.imdb.com) and *Lethal Weapon* as an alternative Christmas classic.

✅ Pros

• Crowd-pleasing action and unique, creative kills.
• David Harbour is perfectly cast as a lethal, grumpy Santa.
• Surprising emotional core and genuine holiday spirit.

❌ Cons

• Gets "runaway train silly" at certain points.
• Premise may be slightly offensive to traditionalists.
• Definitely not suitable for younger children or toddlers.

🏆 Final Verdict

A festive, blood-soaked riot that’s perfect for late-night viewing after the kids are asleep. It’s silly, violent, and surprisingly sweet—a must-watch for anyone who prefers their Christmas spirit with a side of mayhem.

View on Letterboxd