Being chest-deep into the holiday season, many individuals are finding themselves exhausted of traditional Christmas movies to enjoy. Even more agonizing for some, the release of the second half of Stranger Things season 5 is just around the corner, tantalizing as ever.
There is a movie, however, that can satisfy the needs of both of these groups, and that of those who just want a good old fashioned bloody Christmas. Violent Night (2022), directed by Tommy Wirkola, delivers a shocking yet thrilling twist on the traditional “saving Christmas” archetype, with every Stranger Things fan’s favorite Russian-battling, monster-slaying David Harbour as old Kris Kringle.
In the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, David Harbour plays the conflicted police chief Jim Hopper. Throughout each season, his character is developed to the point where he becomes an apocalyptic warrior. Similarly, in Violent Night, he plays a disgruntled Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, upset with all of the greediness in the world and considering stopping his annual midnight ride.
Unexpectedly, during his rounds, he finds himself in a large Connecticut estate that is taken over by Mercenaries who want to steal the Lightstone family fortune, holding a dysfunctional family (as well as one true believer) hostage inside. Sensing Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), the little girl inside who truly believes in him, St. Nicholas decides to save the family by going full yuletide Rambo on the mercenaries.
When the mercenaries find out about an outside party interfering with their plans of heist, they one-by-one face off against Harbour. At first, Santa is beaten around pretty badly by the well-trained fighters, but thanks to the help of Christmas magic, he narrowly avoids being killed and escapes to a shed. On the radio with Trudy, who has escaped the mercenaries and is now hiding in the mansion, the true lore of Santa is revealed. It turns out that before he was everybody’s favorite old man, he was a brutal Viking warrior named Nicomund who mercilessly plundered villages in the 12th century with his trusty war hammer, Skullcrusher. However, he changed his ways, converted to Christianity, and became the Christmas legend he is known as. Trudy encourages him to use his fighting expertise to defeat the gunmen, and after finding a large metal sledgehammer, Santa wholeheartedly agrees. He then proceeds to go on a rampage, exploding skulls and executing anyone who gets in his way.
In addition to the gore, the movie exceptionally shines in its depiction of the St. Nicholas lore. While adapting some details, the history remains largely similar to that of the original Saint. Santa Claus, equipped with David Harbour’s advanced yet casual sense of humor, and surgical skill with a hammer, makes this holiday film a worthwhile watch. Other noteworthy features include the references to other holiday movies; The film itself is essentially a modern mashup of Home Alone and Diehard, which is certainly an interesting factor to the ancient, rickety people who were alive when the aforementioned movies were released.
Overall, this movie is a sharp choice for those who like suspense, plot twists, and blood-soaked snow. Along with Harbour, former National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation actress Beverly D’Angelo makes another holiday movie appearance. In addition, Stranger Things viewers especially will find many similarities between the works of Violent Night and the nostalgic TV show. Nicholas Allalam, an avid 10th grade Stranger Things enthusiast, adores the comedy style of David Harbour, stating, “Harbour is an intelligent comedian who embodies both Hopper and Santa well.”
Don’t let the misleading statistics of 6.7/10 on IMDb and 74% on Rotten Tomatoes fool you. The critics who hated the movie were obviously nonbelievers in Santa Claus. Despite the official ratings, many who have seen the movie admire David Harbour’s portrayal of the main character. Julian “Jelly Dog” Lloyd, a 10th grader with similar thinking to Allalam, expressed his desire for Harbour to be “The father figure [he] never had.” After all, who wouldn’t want a father who could effortlessly slime out an entire squadron of trained soldiers?
