SILENT NIGHT – “An effective dialogue free yuletide shoot ‘em up”
RATING
DIRECTOR
Directed by: John Woo (Face/Off – 1997)
MAIN CAST
• Joel Kinnaman as Brian Godluck
• Scott Mescudi as Detective Dennis Vassel
• Harold Torres as Playa
• Catalina Sandino Moreno as Saya Godluck
SYNOPSIS
On Christmas Eve, a man witnesses the death of his young son when the boy gets caught in crossfire between warring gangs. Recovering from a wound that cost him his voice, he soon embarks on a bloody and grueling quest to punish those responsible.
REVIEW SUMMARY
With Silent Night, Jon Woo delivers an effective dialogue free yuletide shoot ‘em up! Now, does that “silent” gimmick wear thin by the end? No question. Luckily the film boasts some gritty action sequences that’ll make you forgive and forget. Yes, this is a John Woo film after all, so action is the name of the game. I’m not sure Woo goes “full Woo” here, but his signature stylized, and slow-motion action shots are certainly not lacking. What can I say, the man knows how to direct an excellent fight scene. It’s not as balls-to-the-wall as John Wick, but our protagonist’s journey for revenge is an extremely violent and brutal one. Let’s just say the movie ears its (hard) R-rating! Speaking of our silent hero, he is portrayed expertly by the very capable Joel Kinnaman. Kinnaman has the physicality down of course, but his presence keeps that whole “silent” aspect afloat. Well, for the most part. Oh, and did I even mention that this is a Christmas movie? I mean, it’s an aggressively gory holiday film – one that won’t have you singing good cheer afterwards. But, for action fans, it’ll surely make for a pleasant little gift this holiday season.
BOX OFFICE TOP 5
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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
$5.4 million
7.5
The Wild Robot
$4.3 million