'Violent Night' Review: Who Is This Murderous Santa Movie For?

Santa comes to town and he's drunk, fired up and ready to go to war.

If you're looking for a warm and fuzzy holiday movie, look elsewhere. Year after year we have to debate whether or not The Nightmare Before Christmas is a violent Christmas movie . This edgy yet festive film is essentially Die Hard, but with John McClane as Santa Claus, a world-weary security guard who fights off a gang of evil thieves who brutally crash a holiday party.

But how does he play? So let's break it down.

Is Riot Night a Santa Buster?

For those confused by the phrase, the Santa Slasher is a subgenre of horror in which Santa Claus (or someone dressed as him) delivers a gift of deadly violence. Like Santa's Slay, Silent Night Killer Night, Rare Export. A Christmas story and the best of all Killer Games , which is basically just a house , but turned into a serial killer with a Santa.

Violent Night follows in their footsteps, based on Santa (David Port of Stranger Things ) killing people. But instead of cheeky babies, bickering families or worried parents, this Santa pays tribute to some home invaders. And not coal. Christmas decoration penetrates through the eye into the mind. After all, killing with festive tools like candy sharpened to a point is part of Santa's bag.

During a restless night at the Lightstone family's annual gathering, a group of dirty eaters, all with secret weapons and trendy names like Mint, Jingle, Krampus and Scrooge. They plan to rob the family's treasure of hundreds of millions. But it's hard to invest in these stocks, because this breed is a Grinch noise.

The Lightstone family is made up of thinly veiled figures of American wealth and excess: a tight-lipped and domineering matriarch ( National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation's Beverly D'Angelo), a money-hungry kisser ( Righteous Gems ' Eddie Patterson), an obnoxious teenager of who influences (Alexander Elliott), a golden boy in debt ( "Boys " Alex Hassell) and a hilarious movie star (" Twilight " Cam Gigandet with the ruthless Mark Wahlberg).

When these children of greed fall victim, you may be tempted to root out the thugs. But among them is a sweet girl (Lea Brady) who believes in Santa Claus and the restorative power of Christmas. When he meets Santa in the waki-tali, Kris Kringle, the shell, is determined to give him the gift of survival. And maybe her messy family can tear her apart, charity season and all.

Is Riot Night a family Christmas movie?

Although he has a heart of gold beneath his blood, this is a Christmas comedy with lots of action and violence in the spirit of the brutal classic Scrooge . That means: Rated R, this movie is not for children. It begins with Santa getting drunk and brawling, upset about the state of the world. While it may be relatable or just plain funny to adults, Santa's lack of temper can be disturbing to youngsters. And if it is not, his attempt to rise and gather may fail.

Also, as Santa battles the villains who threaten not only the joy of Christmas, but also the beautiful baby, the warrior in red has the right to kill. Screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller created many naturalistic scenes of violence, including fatal shots, gunshots, beheadings, war hammers and explosions. Also, the main lines are often accompanied by harsh insults, such as the no-good grandma who says, "Don't bite my mouth off and call me chocolate cake!"

Basically, if you're going through your normal Christmas season watching movies like Elf, A Christmas Story or Rankin'/Bass, Violent Night will reset your hair and turn it white forever. What if you're lucky enough to fall into the bloody lap of Santa Sleshar? And if you're a fan of Tommy Whirkola's other horror comedies?

How does Violent Night rate as a Tommy Whirkola film?

The Norwegian writer/director made his mark with the 2009 zombie horror Dead Snow , about fellow skiers on a ski vacation when Nazi soldiers are resurrected. Four years later, Virkola transferred his wild comedy to a fairy tale with Hansel and Gretel . Witch hunters.

Where Dead Snow was crude and wild, Hansel and Gretel had American studio sophistication but was a painfully satisfying mess full of absurd violence and absurdly stupid jokes. When it came out, I called it "Honey Movie Shopping" ( based on a memory of the time ), and although the joke is old, the sentiment is true. But nothing could have prepared me for the absolutely stunning insanity of 2014's Dead Snow 2: Red V. Dead. A direct sequel to Blood Fracture, this one is so incredibly intense and twisted that I was laughing with uncontrollable glee. And honestly, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more surprising yet perfect ending in any genre.

So, with the disorienting shock of these Wirkola creations dancing in my head like a vision of a sugar plum, I looked forward to the night of the uprising . And I can confidently report that...it's good. A star-studded American film about Santa killing people is shocking enough to feature an evil Saint Nick in scenes of festive murder. But for a Wirkola film, it seems strange. In the past, he's given us villains, more obvious kills, and more chaotic heroes.

While the fight choreography is decorated with clever Christmas weaponry, it's a little plain, with no sizzling pans and uninspired cinematography. However, only one home series stands out. There, Wirkola happily waits to see what the enemies who pursue him will encounter as they pursue the children's heroes, and the reward is just as exciting as seeing a big shiny gift box with your name on it.

But if you've seen other films like this, or Wirkola's other films, nothing about Violent Night is demonstrative. This Santa can kill without remorse, but gently advises that the "glove" is too close to the people on the Nice List. But where it belongs, Port sells the hell out of this line.

David Harbor reprises his role as Santa Claus in Riot Night.

Dressed in fur-trimmed red leather and a man bun reminiscent of a bygone era of gaming, Port brings his skills to beers, from Stranger Things 'Hopper' to Black Widow's Red Guardian to Hellboy's Hellboy . Even if the script lacks character, and the fight scenes lack ominous glitz, it's his witty but lovable personality that makes for a brutal night .

Also, Port looks good as Santa Claus. And Wirkola knows it, giving us these photos of a shirtless Santa leaning on his close friends for so long that his breath smells like beer and sugar cookies. I'll give them both, grandpas don't usually boast that much sex.

Ultimately, Violent Night is a mixed bag. It matches the seasonal carnage and carnage that the Santa slasher genre demands, and has high production values ​​that make some moments sing like Santa's springtime chimney. It's rated R for being wild, violent, wild and naturalistic, which might satisfy your hunger for something wild to balance out the sweet sweetness of an honest Christmas novel. However, it can be considered as a starting point for Virkola's work. You have to be wild enough to go on this ride.

Maybe the Night of the Rebels litmus test : Does the sight of Santa on the side of his sleigh as his reindeer soar above Washington make you cringe, cringe or shrug? If you are angry, buy holiday entertainment. If you're nervous, manage your expectations before you get in line to see this Santa. If you're a geek, you better watch out for Dead Snow 2.

On December 2, the Night of Violence appears everywhere.

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