Santa has lost his joy. Greed has made him cynical. He stops at bars in-between stops and steals from alcohol cabinets after making it through the chimney. But, one stop is different. While drunkenly poking around a mansion’s junk, a hijacking has begun. A lot in this house is stirring! Even the mouse is freaking out!! Santa has found himself in a hostage situation. Will he rise to the occasion? The answer to that question is this: The movie happens. I hope that answers the question I asked myself. At first glimpse, Violent Night appears to be an R-Rated action-comedy with a twisted take on the Coca-Cola classic Santa Claus. In truth, the film is at its best when it’s closer to a horror-comedy than it is an action film. Director Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) is no stranger to mixing horror and comedy. The horrific, blood-soaked gore of Violent Night is handled well. The horror works when mixed with the warm-feelings of a typical Christmas fare. The problem is that the movie is trapped in a standard Die Hard ripoff. 

Specifically, Violent Night is a Die Hard ripoff that knows what it is but doesn’t know what to do with that plot-wise. The film is self-aware of its inspiration but luckily it never goes Deadpool-level meta like a lot of recent mainstream R-Rated action fares tend to do. David Harbour plays Santa with murmurs and groans, never understanding himself or the Christmas magic that fuels him. Santa already starts the movie as a grizzled cynic. The action is meant to make him believe again. It’s a fun arc for a Santa take. I just wish the story was less afraid to jump out of its own Die Hard-trappings. The action is really something out of a horror movie so why does the plot have to stick to those raggedy coattails that Bruce Willis wore in 1988? Die Hard changed action filmmaking when it dropped all those years ago but nothing knocking it off has done better. 

Violent Night works because it dedicates a lot of effort to its gore without giving up the ghost on being a Christmas fare. Too bad we don’t need another riff on Die Hard. Not even a satirical one. In the middle of this film, there is a scene which presents what it would be like if Home Alone were R-Rated. This scene works because it’s a small dose of inspired violence, parodying a classic that’s also been done a lot. Violent Night could’ve been a lot worse. Yes, it’s another Die Hard riff but the humor feels more out of a ‘90s action movie than a modern one. We do not need Santa quoting Deadpool. The main issue is that Violent Night doesn’t heighten its strong points enough and, beyond the bursts of violence and Santa gags, it’s another Die Hard. At least it is an okay one.

RATING: 6 out of 10