So I'll admit, after my big come back I did falter a little and had so many things to do rather than type up blog posts in my lunch break. To be honest it has even been a bit of a struggle dragging myself to the cinema now the nights are darker and colder.
But last night I dragged my entire family with me to watch a dark christmas movie and I loved every second so just had to tell you about it!
David Harbour, he of Stranger things fame and also married to our very own Lily Allen, plays a very good grumpy Santa and I enjoyed that immensely.
So long story short this movie starts out with us following Santa. He's down, he's beat, the spirit of Christmas has been at an all time low thanks to greedy kids who just want cash and video games. No one needs Santa anymore, they get everything from instant delivery services. So he's drinking, he's not got a care in the world, and stumbles into the Lightstone household to leave little Trudi, one of his lovely firm believers, a chrimbo gift.
Now Trudi's grandma happens to be a massively rich woman who has pissed off a lot of people, some of which have decided that Christmas eve is the best time to rob her of 3.2 million quid and kill her. Poor old Santa gets caught in the middle, realises he cant leave this poor kid who has restored the magic of Christmas to him die, and thus helps to save the day with his ominous Norse warrior backstory.
Violent Night is everything you want in a cheesy Christmas movie. Great xmas songs, silly plotlines, a lot of blue language, romance, a happy ending, and a little tear jerker before it all goes right. Obviously, in between all these little bits there is a ton of gore and murder but it helps bring the movie together...
At the end of the day it is a tremendously silly movie, but in all the right ways. You've got visual and verbal gags, tons of fake blood, Home Alone references, Slade playing one of the best Christmas songs during the end credits, this is officially my new favourite Christmas movie next to The Santa Clause. I love the fact we have a burping, dirty, arsehole of a Santa who has hope restored to him through a little girl. I love the fact there are some kids out there who are still wholesome. This has all the xmas morals and themes we love, just in a slightly violet way...
David Harbour and all the cast did a really great job here. Like really. Both comedic and tragic, serious and adoring, there was so much talent in this movie.
I want to know more about Santa's backstory, I mean there is potential for a few sequels here if they wanted to, although it was pretty well suited to be a one off movie. But in Violent Night we see a glimpse of what came before Santa, with a hammer called Skullcrusher, and it was like a Thor bloodbath cosplay. Beautiful and believable. Santa is the man you need in a murder/robbery crisis.
The best scene hands down in this entire movie though, just had to be Trudi's Home Alone set up. You know how you always wondered how those boobytraps in Home Alone would be feasible in real life? Well now you see, even though the villains on her trail are also a bit thick, it is by pure unlucky accident that they fall victim to her traps. It was gruesome, it was predictable, but did garner laughs and sharp intakes of breath especially with the nail to mouth scene. I won't spoil it but if you see the movie you will understand.
This is a bit of a short one and I am sorry, but there isn't much to talk about as despite being a good movie it was entirely predictable in the normal Christmas sense and all I can do is urge you to watch it.
Overall, I give Violent Night a 7/10. It was gory, it was dark, but it was also funny and encouraged the spirit of Christmas so it is a win win!
Leave a comment on my socials if you've seen the movie! What did you think? Christmas classic? Or Reindeer poo?
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