What if John McClane from Die Hard was Santa Claus? Seriously, what if John McClain became Santa Claus and had to save the day from criminals who were taking people hostage? It’s not that far-fetched in the world of fiction and that’s essentially what you have with the movie Violent Night. David Harbour who plays Santa Claus and is delivering presents on Christmas Eve, essentially becomes John McClane and saves a family from ruthless terrorists. Santa Claus shows that he is not a pushover and is pretty much a badass. I can’t describe this movie any other way except to say that it’s Die Hard, but with Santa Claus, and you know what, that’s okay because this movie was glorious. It’s not going to win an Academy Award, but it is a fun Christmas movie where Santa Claus kick some ass. In fact, I already see a Christmas Eve double feature with Die Hard and Violent Night, that sounds like a great Christmas Eve movie fest.

Santa Claus is a bit of a drunkard in this film. He stops off to have a few pints as he’s delivering presents when he lands at a rich family’s compound and gets caught up in a kidnapper’s plot to steal money from the family. Santa has to spring into action and save the little girl who still believes in him and kill the bad guys. Yes, that’s essentially the plot. Simple and a bit absurd, but a lot of fun. It almost felt like watching Hot Fuzz lampooning action Christmas movies. I feel like this film is kind of Lampooning Die Hard as a Christmas movie, but so what if it works! And honestly, who doesn’t want to see Santa Claus kick some ass. David Harbour was brilliant at Santa Claus and if you were disappointed in his take on Hellboy then you won’t be disappointed with his take on a violent Santa Claus. In a lot of ways, I feel like this is the role he was meant to play when it comes to a Christmas movie. I mean screw doing some cheeky Christmas Hallmark movie where the plot is so implausible with everybody falling in love and everything working out when you can play a Santa Claus version of John McClain and save a nice family from terrorists. The leader of the terrorists is played by John Leguizamo who channeled the worst person in the world to play the villain, Steven Seagal. Is he as good as Alan Rickman who played Hans Gruber, no, but that doesn’t matter he’s good in his own right and he makes it work. He makes a good villain. The movie is funny. You get the right amount of action and comedy. The satire and the one-liners work on all levels. It’s just a fun movie that doesn’t have to be taken too seriously unlike other Christmas movies. Did I enjoy it, absolutely and I highly recommend it.

I really don’t have any complaints about the movie because it knows what it is. It’s just a violent action movie where Santa Claus Saves the Day and not in the traditional way of delivering presents to every child. Santa Claus gets beat up, he kills the bad guys. He’s got great one-liners, what else do you need? The performances by everybody were great including Beverly D’Angelo who played the patriarch of the rich family. Where she’s nice and loving in National Lampoon’s A Christmas Story, she’s a bitch in this one but she is so funny as an actress that she just makes it work. You get a little bit of Santa Claus’s backstory of how this particular guy became Santa Claus 1100 years prior. While I will not spoil it, it was an interesting take on the legend of Santa Claus, and I did want to know more than just a few scenes explaining who he was. That’s probably my biggest complaint, you create this story of how people come along and become Santa Claus or how they’re chosen, and you don’t really explain enough.  Knowing more of the mythology would have been good, but it’s a minor complaint when it comes to the comedic genius of the movie. They have Santa Claus basically being John McClain from Die Hard it’ brilliant. To show that he is not Jolly Old Saint Nick and to show how he drinks and complains about children, it’s funny. The movie doesn’t take itself seriously, this is not Miracle on 34th Street and that’s why it’s a good movie.

If they had tried to make some dark dramatic movie that shows the truth of humanity, then the story would have been wasted. For example, if Michael Mann had made this movie, it would have been terrible. You don’t need a fun action movie about Christmas that has some social message about consumerism and how people don’t appreciate the meaning of Christmas anymore. The story is a perfect satire and the cast does a wonderful job portraying characters that you really just despise. And nothing against other portrayals of Santa Claus who are more wholesome and family-oriented. This is not that Santa Claus. He is kind of a terrible Santa Claus. Buddy’s the type of Santa Claus you would love to have a beer and complain about life with. No, it won’t win an award, but it will entertain you and that’s all we really need during Christmas. What other movies have some great social message, this movie gives us the Santa Claus we really want the drinks too much and kills all the bad guys while still delivering all the presents on Christmas Eve. I can’t wait to watch it again and I think you’ll feel the same way.