Silent Night (2023)

This is a rather surprising film from Hong Kong director John Woo. Known for up beat, fast paced, gritty action films, Silent Night is a rather sombre, departure from what fans, like myself, have come to expect. The back story is rather sad and I feel this film dwells on this aspect to the point of "almost" becoming obsessively morose. I appreciate the key characters motivation is based on a tragic event but constantly re-visiting this aspect of the back story, tends to drag the film down emotionally, throwing bucket after bucket of cold water, on what is supposed to be an action romp. Action sequences are well done, fight scenes and gun play of the predictable John Woo style. Its far from boring once it gets under way. In summary, watchable but for myself, a little too morose and sad, to really offer up a truly enjoyable action romp.

First movie of John Woo in Hollywood since Paycheck in 2003 (that was an average movie). This movie is almost all based on the expression of the protagonist and secondary characters, even being previsible and a bit melodramatic (but the melodrama is dispersed thorough the movie), without any line whatsoever is something to be praised and offstream. A father suffers the sudden loss of his son in a gangs shootout in a fictional city on Texas, and barely surviving trying to catch the killers - no explanation why he have those skills in the start of the story and in the end being all movie a preparation for revenge is a big no-no on the script thought. But is enjoyable especially if you like revenge is better served cold movies. The tension is present and even being previsible the movie delivers the satisfaction of revenge in the end, building up tension till the end (I liked the final scene btw - it was something that was bothering me, and that little bit was explained [ I mean his reactions to the mother that suffered such a hard loss too ] ). Being a John Woo movie you expect very electrifying action scenes and you get those on sequences on the start, middle and especially end as it should be. Really nice and bloody btw - and for the acting of Joel Kinnaman as the only protagonist I decided to gave the movie one star more than it would be without him. So a 7.0 out 1f 10.0 / B for this one. If you crave action and revenge for Christmas this is it (speaking of Xmas, it only serves as a more dramatic starting point for the story - it could have been any time of the year, but hey we need something for the season every year right?).

It's a Woo film. Very predictable. Somewhat stale but still got the double guns. Real good double guns mr Detective. I think that was the highlight of the film. No way that guy was listening to that music and dancing like that. I didn't really watch the first hour, honestly. It's all pretty background quality.

Best part was watching Kinnaman running down the street slow mo with the nose on his rudolph sweater bobbing up and down. Also when he's in his sloppy grey sweatpants working out. Pretty good. I was ok with the over the top slo mo drama action, I get that's the style, but where this movie lost me was in not setting up a remotely believable motivation for daddy becoming an overnight serial killer. The motivation of all the baddies is also non-existent. The first thing that really irritated me was that when he gets home after months of rehab and he's a clearly mentally damaged traumatized person, and his wife hasn't cleaned up the christmas tree and presents for the dead kid. WHAT? I get that she has her own trauma, but wtf, like, she's back at work and seemingly a functional person. The only way that makes sense is if she wanted him to be triggered, which we see later in her response to his psycho killer behaviour is clearly not the case. And then the whole pretense that no one really talks and there's no dialogue... I mean... it might make sense if he also lost his hearing. But he didn't. Like, a MAJOR device that's used through the whole movie makes NO SENSE. Really makes it quite a slog and as the kill plot intensifies, it actually becomes more and more boring.

There are some nice shots in this movie, gun range peephole was fun, and some decent car chases and good action direction from time to time. Last third really stank. Some pretty awful color saturation throughout and crappy cgi brought it down too. Gimmick of no talking was cute enough i guess, but confusing. If DiCaprio can grunt his way into an oscar then I don't see why Kinnaman cant.

This movie was pretty dumb, sometimes cool and had a few good laughs, which may or may not have been intentional. The multiple quick zoom shots on the mother's eyes in the hospital were so odd and about three too many. Tear drop transition into a bullet falling, very cool. Really enjoyed Kinnaman target shooting the hole for his face to peak through. The gang member clutching onto the top of Kinnaman's sick Mustang after being crushed and shot and then slowly sliding down the windshield with a comical blood smear sound, hilarious. Kinnaman barfs right after that and his barf looks super gross, all goopy and beige. Probably one of the most disgusting barf scenes ever set to film. Made me gag. Very convenient that the gang shootout happens at a location with a figure eight for Kinnaman to drive around, just like he trained for! Some of the car chase stuff was cool, but it was pretty silly when the cars formed into a car train and they were all shooting while moving along in a train. Choo choo! I think the most deranged and hilarious scene was when his dead son appears to him in the reflection of a hanging ornament with the wind-up toy melody playing and Kinnaman looks over and smiles while he is choking the gang leader to death. The movie closes with the mother visiting the son's grave, which by the way, has a toy train driving around the tombstone 24/7, and then the movie ends with what is essentially Kinnaman's revenge/suicide note scrolling across the screen. Truly bizarre.

Knock knock. Who's there? Woo. Woo who? No. Just no. Oh,dear lord, no.