Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Brutal, holiday-set tale of vengeance has gun violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Silent Night
What's the Story?
In SILENT NIGHT, Brian Godlock (Joel Kinnaman) races through the streets, wearing a Christmas sweater covered in blood. It's Christmas Eve, and his 7-year-old son was shot and killed by a stray bullet during a gang shootout. Brian goes after them, but he winds up getting shot in the throat, and, after a long hospital stay, can no longer speak. At first he wallows in self-pity and alcohol, and then he starts focusing on vengeance. He trains himself in combat, knives, guns, and stunt driving and researches the gang responsible for the shooting. His wife, Saya (Catalina Sandino Moreno), tearfully leaves him. Finally, after sending a message to police detective Dennis Vassel (Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi), it's time. It's Christmas Eve one year later, and Brian is prepared to "kill them all."
Is It Any Good?
A simple tale of vengeance, this action movie with little to no spoken dialogue benefits from superior filmmaking, as well as a serious undercurrent about the destructive, circular nature of violence. Silent Night is master Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo's first movie to be released in U.S. theaters since 2009's Red Cliff (the last film he made for a Hollywood studio was 2003's Paycheck). Happily, his immense skill as an action director hasn't diminished. Not only does Woo have a firm knowledge of space, rhythm, and motion, but he also knows how to instill his sequences with a strong, almost operatic, emotional core. When his characters fight, they fight with everything they have, for something that means the world.
But while Silent Night is thrilling -- and it is a tour-de-force, with its emphasis on visual storytelling and Kinnaman's intensely physical performance (perhaps even surpassing Michael Fassbender in The Killer) -- it also understands that this mission is futile. Brian's path of vengeance, of vigilantism, will bring no peace, no rest, and no return to normal. There's a great moment in which Brian holds Saya in his arms. They're on the couch, and the camera hovers above and behind them, taking in the whole, empty room. It's their last embrace before they part ways, Saya looking to move on and Brian choosing violence, because he can't stand the thought of choosing nothing. Silent Night may not be a joyous holiday celebration, but it certainly packs a punch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Silent Night's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
What is the nature of revenge? Can it be satisfying? Why? Can it ever truly solve a problem?
What does the movie have to say about guns? Do you agree?
How are drinking and alcohol abuse depicted? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
Why do you think the filmmakers decided to set the story during Christmas? How does it affect the story's mood?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 1, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : December 19, 2023
- Cast : Joel Kinnaman , Catalina Sandino Moreno , Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi
- Director : John Woo
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Chinese Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Indigenous Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Holidays
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence, drug use and some language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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