Violent Night

It ain’t Miracle on 34th Street, but it’s a popcorn flick that has cult classic written all over it.

It’s like attending a party where no two guests are on sufficiently good terms to manage even 20 minutes of civilised conversation. “Perfect for Christmas Day then,” I hear you say. Too cynical.

112 minutes of your life rather than a day, which is a small gift...

Violent Night offers up a timely amalgam: It is torture porn that is also a morality play.

David Harbour makes a particularly good cranky, butt-kicking Santa, in a movie that offers the sort of shared experience that should bring theaters some much-needed cheer.

"Behind all the gore-splattered walls and domestic rancor lies a sweet-and-sour bedtime story of good triumphing over evil."

V.N. pays its respect to the cult Holiday classic Home Alone and is easily one of the funniest movies of the year. There are also some heartfelt moments, occasional bits of humanity and a traditional redemption story arc thrown in the blood-filled mix.

Closing the film with Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody” was the perfect ending to a near-perfect film, and it’s definitely a must-see this holiday season.

Did we need a shallow dive into a deeper, new lore about Santa? No. Do we need the inevitable sequel with Valkyrie Mrs. Claus? Probably not...

What elevates “Violent Night” from a mindless, holiday-themed action film was its ability to balance the violence and the heartwarming emotions.