A spirited, slick Santa Claus action-comedy

Another "alternative" Hollywood Christmas movie in a sea of festive romantic comedies from Hallmark and various streaming services, 2022's Violent Night situates an embittered, alcoholic Santa Claus (David Harbour) in a Die Hard scenario with satisfying, crowd-pleasing results. Although the one-joke premise is decidedly B-grade and suggests a cheap, trashy, straight-to-video distraction, Violent Night is a spirited and slickly-executed action-comedy that delivers ample violence and laughs without any unwelcome pretensions. Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters), the film does not take itself too seriously, as the director adopts a devilishly enjoyable tongue-in-cheek approach while exploring the premise's ludicrous potential. For viewers who wanted 2020's Fatman to be more action-packed, Violent Night is the Santa action movie you seek.

On Christmas Eve, Jason Lightstone (Alex Hassell) takes his estranged wife, Linda (Alexis Louder), and their daughter, Trudy (Leah Brady), to visit his extended family for the holidays. The celebration is at a luxurious mansion owned by Gertrude (Beverly D'Angelo), a powerful corporate titan and the family's matriarch who holds her wealth over everybody. The dreary gathering is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), whose crew of armed mercenaries kill the staff and seize control of the lavish estate, taking the family hostage as they work to unlock Gertrude's secret vault to steal the vast fortune stored inside. Their only hope for rescue is Santa Claus, who drunkenly visits to deliver gifts but is stranded when gunfire scares away his reindeer. With no other choice, Santa begins killing his way through Mr. Scrooge's crew one by one, fighting for his survival and the survival of the dysfunctional Lightstone family.

With a screenplay by Pat Casey and Josh Miller (Sonic the Hedgehog), Violent Night lovingly homages several Yuletide classics: plot points are reminiscent of Die Hard and Die Hard 2, the family dynamics are similar to The Ref, there are multiple references to Home Alone (including a terrific Home Alone-inspired set piece), Beverly D'Angelo's presence pays tribute to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and the opening scene of Santa drinking in a bar invokes Bad Santa. With no originality to the story, it all comes down to the execution, and Violent Night is a sure-fire winner in this respect. Frequently fast-paced and brutal, the picture lives up to its title by lathering on the violence during the entertaining action set pieces, and it's pitched at precisely the right tone. After all, this is a movie about the real, magical Santa Claus fighting a group of terrorists - and the flick gleefully embraces the inherent ridiculousness of the premise.

With Wirkola at the helm, Violent Night has ample personality, which allows the movie to shine and feel like more than a lifeless Hollywood holiday offering. Wirkola brings his distinct European tendencies to the flick, particularly in terms of tone, and he even uses recognisable Christmas tunes during the action sequences. Dark humour permeates the action beats, with moments spotlighting Santa taking a leak off the side of his sleigh in mid-flight, and chastising the baffled terrorists as he rattles off their childhood Christmas wishes. Santa also uses his Christmas magic in creative ways, including going through his sack to find any toy he can use as a weapon. (Die Hard on Blu-ray is one gift that emerges from the magical bag.) Although the digital effects are a little rocky at times, Violent Night otherwise looks splendid, with colourful, vivid cinematography by Wirkola regular Matthew Weston that smoothly captures the carnage.

Clocking in at nearly two hours, Violent Night has room for the characters and story to breathe. The Lightstone family receive sufficient development, allowing the ensemble to feel like more than one-dimensional hostages, while several of the cannon fodder henchmen (with their amusing Christmas-themed callsigns) actually possess distinct personalities. It's a pleasure to see D'Angelo in anything, and she makes for a wonderful Gertrude, scoring many laughs with her acerbic wit. Cam Gigandet is another standout, clearly having a ball as a cheesy, over-the-top, self-serious action star named Morgan Steel, who has an inflated opinion of himself and his work. It's possibly the actor's best role. But the star of the show is Harbour, who's note-perfect as Santa. Violent Night presents a unique interpretation of the jolly old fat man, revealing his backstory as a brutal warrior who killed many people on ancient battlefields and who revives his barbaric tendencies in the action sequences here. Harbour receives confident support from Leah Brady as Trudy, who still believes in Santa and everything that Christmas represents. Essentially the Al Powell to Santa's John McClane, the two interact over two-way radios throughout the night, and the chemistry between the pair thoroughly sparkles. Also of note is Leguizamo, who was actually in Die Hard 2 in the early stages of his career, and who plays a fine, scenery-chewing villain.

In the tradition of Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, Violent Night works as a Christmas movie and an action flick, and it is enjoyable at any time of year. Although it's not exactly deep or meaningful, the film's ending is surprisingly touching, reinforcing the importance of believing in Santa to keep the magic of Christmas alive. Those who prefer sentimental and romantic Christmas movies should stay clear of Violent Night, but it's recommended viewing for those seeking a fun and funny festive offering with a unique take on the legendary Father Christmas.

7.8/10