Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gore, language in over-the-top but appealing Santa movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
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Violent Night
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 22 parent reviews
Based on 34 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a unique blend of Christmas cheer and over-the-top violence that caters mostly to older teens and adults, thanks to its comedic gore, swearing, and intense action. While some find the humor in the absurdity of Santa as a heroic figure battling bad guys, reviews also caution that the film is not suitable for younger audiences due to its graphic content and strong language.
- gory humor
- festive action
- adult themes
- not for kids
- strong language
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In VIOLENT NIGHT, it's Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus (David Harbour) is feeling burned out by a world with too much greed and too little Christmas spirit. Meanwhile, Jason Lightstone (Alex Hassell) is heading to an annual holiday family gathering with his estranged wife, Linda (Alexis Louder), and their daughter, Trudy (Leah Brady). They'll be spending the holiday with Jason's insanely wealthy mother, Gertrude Lightstone (Beverly D'Angelo), his nasty sister (Edi Patterson), and her family. Just as Santa arrives there to deliver gifts -- and takes a break to sample some fine liquor along with his cookies -- the criminal mastermind called "Mr. Scrooge" (John Leguizamo) breaks in with his gang of minions, intending to steal $300 million from Gertrude's vault. But the money appears to be missing, and the Lightstones are taken hostage. However, because Trudy is a true believer, Santa musters up some long-buried strength and courage to fight those on the "Naughty" list and hopefully save the day.
Is It Any Good?
Full of blood, gore, and strong language, this is no kids' movie, but Harbour's lovable performance and a gleeful irreverence around the familiar action scenes make this a fun holiday gift. Violent Night takes cues from many other Christmas movies, from Bad Santa, Elf, and Home Alone, to Fatman and even Die Hard itself. But nothing feels copied, and nothing feels like homage. Violent Night somehow gets away with an attitude of "let's have lots of fun, and who cares what gets wrecked in the process!" Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola is known for this kind of movie, including the wild Nazi zombie movie Dead Snow (2009) and the zany Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.
In these movies, Wirkola proves that he knows his horror movie history, that he loves horror movies that are aware they're horror movies, and that he's not afraid to climb on top of this rickety stack, reinventing every basic moment every step of the way. It's an approach that might have been exhausting, watching one brutal killing after another as they get bloodier and bloodier, if not for Harbour. He brings exactly the right tone to his Santa Claus and keeps things centered. He's weary and cynical, never too excited, and yet still full of love and hope. We can watch him take out a trained army with nothing more than a sledgehammer and still want to give him a big bear hug when it's done. (Never mind that the white trim on his red coat has turned pink from the blood spatter.)
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Violent 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?
How is drinking depicted? Do characters overindulge? Is this glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
What does the movie have to say about commercialism and greed? Are these things rewarded, or are they shown to be bad? How?
Do you find it entertaining to watch irreverent Christmas movies? Why, or why not? Does this movie still manage to celebrate the spirit of giving and spreading joy?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 2, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : January 24, 2023
- Cast : David Harbour , John Leguizamo , Beverly D'Angelo
- Director : Tommy Wirkola
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Holidays
- Run time : 101 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence, language throughout and some sexual references
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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