Violent Night
Rarely do you watch a film thinking you know what you're going to get, but once it gets rolling you end up with something so much greater, more fun, more surprising. Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and Krampus come immediately to mind. Add Silent Night to the list. I thought I knew what it was going to be, but it went so far beyond that. It was significantly more entertaining than I anticipated. It was so much better than I hoped.
Christmas and horror aren't always a good mix. I've seen so many films that tried to make it work. Black Christmas - only the first was any good and it could have been set at any time of the year. Red Christmas, Silent Night (two versions), Silent Night/Deadly Night, Mercy Christmas, All Through the House, Christmas Bloody Christmas, All the Creatures were Stirring all tried to find the combination and failed for various reasons -- usually a $4 budget and crap actors.
Then there was Krampus. Really good film and now part of my standard Christmas fare. Violent Night now joins that rotation. It's one I'll watch again when the holidays roll around.
David Harbour was a great Santa. He's the Santa we need, not the Santa we deserve. His performance truly elevated the film.
The film was funnier than I expected, wedged in a unique (but somehow believable) Santa origin story, had some saccharine moments (required in any Christmas movie) and possessed a depth I wasn't prepared for. It wasn't just "oh, how shocking! Santa's a killer!!" Violent Night gave a reason and rationale for it and made Saint Nick's run as a bludgeoning marauder something the audience could get behind.
Good production values, beautifully shot. I loved how it wove in elements from other Christmas movies - particularly another favorite - Home Alone. Any film that can make you laugh and cringe simultaneously at over-the-top mayhem gets huge credit in my book. That happens multiple times over the course of this movie.
The only flaw was the obligatory and forced injection of the bi-racial family. That part just didn't work at all. Everything else? Simply fantastic.
The villains - Scrooge, Krampus, Gingerbread, Peppermint, Candy Cane, Jingle, Frosty - were all humorously violent, particularly Krampus.
It was so much more fun that I could have hoped for. I avoided it during the holidays because I was afraid it would be another failed entry in the Christmas Horror genre. Another film where a blood-soaked Santa was all it had to offer. That was a mistake. I wish I'd watched it while the tree was still up and the smell of evergreen lingered. Exponentially better than I ever imagined it could be.
Highly recommend.
THIS is the kind of movie that should win Oscars. Harbour's turn as jolly old Saint Nick is far better than Collin Farrell being Collin Farrell in Banshees (although I love Farrell).
In case you missed it, I really/really/really/really like this movie. I'm going to watch it again tonight.