Tommy Wirkola delivers a new fun film for our annual holiday viewing in Universal Pictures Violent Night. It’s another Christmas, and the Lightstone family is getting together. The family includes prodigal son Jason (Alex Hassell), his wife Linda (Alexis Lighter), and their daughter Trudy (Leah Brady). The family’s matriarch is Gertrude Lightstone (Beverly D’Angelo), a foul-mouthed CEO who heads the family corporation and makes her kids fight for her love and money.
Also in the mix is Alva Lightstone ( Edi Patterson), Gertrude’s hard-drinking daughter, who wants to take over the family business as CEO over her brother Jason. Alva’s family includes a slacker son and Morgan Steel (Cam Gigandet), Alva’s boyfriend and a wannabe action star/filmmaker who wants Gertrude to be the benefactor of his next movie.
The night gets interesting when a team of mercenaries led by Jimmy “Mr. Scrooge” Martinez (John Leguizamo) breaks into the compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage. However, the team isn’t ready for a surprise combatant. Santa Claus (David Harbours) is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.
The film’s script is sharp and witty, and the action sequences are impressive. The cast is having a blast in the movie, but one man truly stands out. David Harbor maintains our trust at all times. He is convincing as a drunken, downtrodden, angry brawler and a disillusioned, shabby man. His greatness easily overcomes the clichéd villains. A few bright spots also happen without Harbor. One of the coolest is inspired by Home Alone.
It’s inconceivable to believe that reindeer poop, a drunk Santa vomiting, and brutal scenes of heads and limbs flying across the screen could be so entertaining during Christmas? Santa often uses Christmas decorations to fight. As you decorate your tree with a Christmas chain, you may forget that it can strangle someone or tie them to a chair. The film’s pace sometimes gets off to a pleasant start and moves smoothly.
The entire film’s plot is just looking for excuses so that the bitter Santa Claus, excellently played by David Harbour, can massacre naughty boys. Violent Night is suitable for lovers of action and crude humor who want to take a break from the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle.
Final Grade: B +
Violent Night is in theaters tomorrow, December 2nd.
Director Potsy Ponciroli shifts gears for his third feature in “Motor City,” produced by IFC Films. Chad St. John penned the film’s screenplay, which was actually on the 2009 Black List and spent several years in development hell before finally getting underway.
San Francisco in film is often depicted through sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge or romanticized, foggy hills. However, “Splash City” from Lionsgate brings the focus down to street level. Co-directed by Alex Ferrufino and Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr. (better known as rapper and entrepreneur Berner), this R-rated crime drama moves away from postcard aesthetics to present a sharp, urgent portrayal of survival on the streets.
Writer-director Lee Cronin made an impressive feature film debut in 2019 with “The Hole in the Ground” and followed it up with a fresh and gruesome installment in the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Evil Dead Rise”. However, due to adult responsibilities, I missed his third film in theaters. The mixed reviews and rumors of a troubled production have me concerned.