VIOLENT NIGHT
US, 2022, 112 minutes, Colour.
David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Cam Gigandet, Edi Patterson, Beverly D'Angelo, Leah Brady, Alexander Elliott.
Directed by Tommy Wirkola.
Violent night. Unholy night. All is not calm. All is not bright.
How to describe this home invasion thriller? Fierce and farce! Or, perhaps, a variation on a Christmas pantomime featuring Santa Claus and his reindeers. The writers of the film, Pat Casey and Josh Miller (writers of Sonic the Hedgehog), have certainly been inventive, violence one minute, sentiment the next, and references to Home Alone. Though the home invaders here are very serious.
Probably best to say at first that those who do not respond well to on-screen violence, and increasing death count, tough fights, lethal practical jokes, weaponry, may find it a bit hard to take.
However, over all, it is not meant to be taken too seriously. But, it is serious in so far as we are presented with an arrogant wealthy American family, involved in fraud and embezzlement, not the picture of upright citizenry, and a team of no-holds-barred criminals who will not let anything stand in their way. Even Santa Claus.
We first meet Santa Claus in a Bristol pub, having some beers, a bit weary with his Christmas Eve tasks. Then he mounts his sleigh and off they go into the night, landing in the US to deliver presents in the wealthy gated community.
On the one hand, he really is Santa Claus, though there are some flashbacks to indicate that he began life as a Viking warrior, more than handy with a vast sledgehammer, but a change of heart, especially with Mrs Claus, and his taking on the Santa role. And, as played by David Harbour, obviously enjoying himself in the nice sequences as well as in the violent sequences, we are tempted to believe in Santa Claus!
John Leguizamo is nasty (and is on Santa’s magic list as a nasty little boy), confronting Gertrude, a foul-mouthed Beverly D’Angelo), who has secreted $300 million in her basement vault. A nice profit if you can get it on Christmas Eve. Gertrude has an obnoxious alcoholic daughter is visiting with her action movie star and boyfriend, and an obnoxious Tik-Toking son who in honour of his grandmother has been called Bertrude! But, there is a nice son, his estranged wife, his extra-nice daughter, Trudy (and no mean opponent with her defences and lethal practical jokes).
Santa links with Trudy, has a Viking reawakening, demolishes the gang of intruders left, right and centre. But, amid the violence, he has time for heart-to-heart confidence and sentimental chats with Trudy. (And, perhaps sometimes to our embarrassment, we burst out laughing at Santa’s demolishing techniques.)
Enemies vanquished. Obnoxious family having a change of heart. Everyone believing in Santa and reviving him, the reindeers all turning up at the right moment to whisk him away to continue his Christmas present deliveries. (Will probably be revived every year as a variation on Christmas movies!)
- The title, parody of Silent Night? Violent Christmas film? Sentimental Christmas film? Fierce and farce? Christmas pantomime?
- The opening in Bristol, the pub, introducing Santa Claus, having a drink, relief from his travels? The transition to the US, the mansion, the grounds, world of affluence? The musical score, variation on Christmas songs? Silent Night at the end?
- Jason, separation from Linda, Trudy and her parents? Jason’s absence – and the later explanation of his removing the money from the vault? Visiting his mother, clashes with his mother? Clashes with Alva, her drinking, her spoilt son, Bertrude, bringing the action star along, ingratiating herself and him with her mother? Ambitions for running the firm?
- The introduction to Gertrude, phone, swearing, tough, money? Attitudes towards her family? Their gifts? Her running her company, the revelation of the money, the fraud, the vault?
- The home invasion, Scrooge as the leader, tough, unscrupulous, the personalities of his squad, Christmas names, quoting Dickens? The insiders in the house? The later arrival of the squad, Gertrude relying on them, being paid off by Scrooge?
- The killing of all the staff, the gruesome killings? The family as hostages in the room? Trudy, the gift of the walkie-talkie, talking to Santa, taking refuge in the attic?
- Santa, arrival, the real thing, his reindeers and sleigh, weary, wanting contact with Mrs Claus? Observing, the home invasion, the fights, the deaths, the response to Trudy, the plans, the background of his being a Viking, his sledgehammer, going into action, demolishing all the squad? But the sentimental talks with Trudy about her being a good girl, the past, her gifts? (And his telling the story of Scrooge and his associates and their history of presents?)
- The action star, vain, his reputation, the financial proposal to Gertrude, his escape, the confrontation, death?
- The squabbling amongst the family? Gertrude and his vanity, Tik-Tok? Confrontation with Jason, the torture? The threats? The revelation about the money fraud, the vault? Going to the vault, opening the vault, empty?
- Trudy, in the attic, the practical jokes, their deadly application?
- The confrontation between Santa and Scrooge? Revelation about his past? Santa and his magical list?
- The money, the escape, the sleds, the ambushes, the confrontations? Scrooge and his going up the chimney with Santa? Santa, shot, dying?
- The family, the change of heart, believing in Santa, his coming to life again? The reindeers arriving, his continuing his journey? The family reconciled?
- The blend of violence and sentiment, Christmas cheer?
