X
- 2022
- R
- Universal Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
- 2022
- R
- Universal Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
Summary When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour) is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.
Directed By: Tommy Wirkola
Written By: Pat Casey, Josh Miller
- 2022
- R
- Universal Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
- 2022
- R
- Universal Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
Violent Night
55
6.5
Where to Watch
Summary When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour) is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.
Directed By: Tommy Wirkola
Written By: Pat Casey, Josh Miller
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 37 Critic Reviews
55
54% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
30% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
16% Negative
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 37 Critic Reviews
55
54% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
30% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
16% Negative
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
Violent Night is one of the Yuletide season’s most delightful surprises, not just for what it gets right but also for the many ways the whole production could have gone very, very wrong.
A team of screenwriters more creative than Pat Casey and Josh Miller (best known for two manic Sonic the Hedgehog movies) might have done more with the backstory, and director Tommy Wirkola's beatdowns never transcend the merely serviceable. But there's no denying the joy in a child's eyes when she sees Santa's weapon of choice, a sledgehammer hefted with brutal artistry, and squeals its name: "Skullcrusher!"
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 145 User Ratings
6.5
61% Positive
88 Ratings
88 Ratings
26% Mixed
37 Ratings
37 Ratings
14% Negative
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 145 User Ratings
6.5
61% Positive
88 Ratings
88 Ratings
26% Mixed
37 Ratings
37 Ratings
14% Negative
20 Ratings
20 Ratings
Violent Night has to be one of the best Christmas movies I've seen in years. David Harbour was definitely never someone I ever thought of to play Santa but his performance was outstanding; I liked the more relatable portrayal of Santa as someone who has problems, who gets depressed, who sees how the world is realistically, and isn't just all jolly and happy but still has that jollyness and David Harbour portrayed all that perfectly. Beverly D'Angelo, Leah Brady, Edi Patterson, and Alexis Louder gave great supporting performances. The costumes especially Santa's suit was excellent. The makeup and hairstyling was superb especially on David Harbour. Definitely would love a sequel.
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Violent Night might take a hot minute to find its footing and keeps plucking low-hanging wordplay sugar plums, but at full strength, nobody's stopping Santa from making this year the reddest Christmas imaginable.
Behind all the gore-splattered walls and domestic rancor lies a sweet-and-sour bedtime story of good triumphing over evil. That said, please leave the kids at home.
There are many smart comic ideas in Violent Night, but they are scattered unevenly throughout, the villains are dull, and most of the imaginative energy goes into devising spectacularly gory murders involving the distressingly off-label use of Christmas paraphernalia.
Good fun in places, but dull for the most part, Violent Night is serviceable Christmas viewing. It’s a shame, because with such a fun riff on the Santa story, it should’ve been good for goodness sake!
This is the sort of lazy, slapdash, self-impressed excuse for “edgy” entertainment that makes you enraged. It’s not even so-bad-it’s-good; this is so bad you’re tempted to kick those responsible for it right in the jingle bells.
Wasn’t as bad as the trailer led me to believe it would be. Which I know sounds like I’m damming with faint praise. In truth if we hadn’t decided that we would watch a Christmas movie tonight then I would have still given this a miss. Have definitely seen worse.
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It's dumb fun and that is perfectly fine.
David Harbour "kills it" as Santa Clause!
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Feels like it was made by AI. A mix & mash of Die Hard and Home Alone with none of the ingredients that made those films special. Tonally,it's all over the place with an awful story, poor casting decisions, dialogue that feels improvised, and action that's actually pretty darn good. Can't quite figure out who this was made for, but it wasn't me.
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Production Company
87North,
Québec Production Services Tax Credit,
Universal Pictures
Release Date Dec 2, 2022
Duration 1 h 52 m
Rating R
Tagline You better watch out.
Awards
The CAFTCAD awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
• 1 Nomination
Reel Music Awards
• 1 Nomination
