Baubles and Blood- 'Violent Night'

 

Another spontaneous trip to the cinema led me to choosing my next new film watch, TommyWirkola's 'Violent Night' starring David Harbour as the one and only Santa Claus. This was an untraditional Christmas film with the addition of several bloody deaths and swear words thought, yet I do believe I am now old enough to cope. The general plot of the film involved Santa stuck in a rich family hostage by armed mercenaries, who all of which have christmassy code names like Gingerbread, Santa is left to save the day. 

When I first saw this film advertised I thought the choice of David Harbour as this some what grumpy, murderous Santa was that he could play this role very well; he has already nailed the initial miserable uninterested but loveable character in 'Stranger Things's Jim Hopper. He certainly did fit the untraditional duplication of Father Christmas. As the film opens in Bristol, England, we see Santa sat drinking heavily at the bar slurring to the barmaid and fellow Santa-impersonator about how Christmas spirit is well and truly over with the rise of commercialism and selfishness among children- a theme often portrayed by the bitter dad who's child wants to remind them of Christmas again, like the 90s classic 'The Santa Clause' with Tim Allen. But like all Christmas films do, you end up loving the bitter character which is really easily as a viewer to do when its the charming and humorous David Harbour. 

Now, this film was an action film... so the action sequences have to be good. 'Violent Night' included a fair amount of blood, something I am a fan of since this is more true to the scene when Santa is using a hammer to crack skulls. Alongside the blood a few of the deaths were memorable, either due to their comedic nature or the gore in which their characters life was ended. Trudy's characters nod to home alone with the booby traps was a cliché scene that I enjoyed, Christmas and Christmas films are cliché this can't be a criticism. The death of big baddy Scrooge was inevitable, I mean Santa was of course going to save the day, however how he died was not only something I never saw coming but did make my jaw drop. I loved it, bloody creative and bloody funny. 

The majority of this film was set in this extensive but isolated mansion compound in a snowy the US, this was where I think the film lacked. The mansion was filled with Christmas motifs, wrapping paper, baubles and fire pits of course- some of which Santa used to murder the bad guys and patch his own injuries up afterwards. However as the film takes place almost entirely inside the rooms of this house, I think it lacked character. This is me being a harsh critic but based on the fact I enjoy the film I think with the addition of a more established setting, like the effective set design in 'Knives Out', it would really stand out.

I am glad to see David Harbour in more stuff, but I kept unrealistically thinking throughout "fuck is Lily Hart going to be Mrs Claus" only to be understandably disappointed.

Evie 06 December 2022