Joel Kinnaman and Catalina Sandino Moreno having a Silent Night (CREDIT: Lionsgate)

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Scott Mescudi, Catalina Sandina Moreno, Harold Torres

Director: John Woo

Running Time: 104 Minutes

Rating: R for Bloody Violence, Mostly Due to Gunfire

Release Date: December 1, 2023 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Brian Godluck (Joel Kinnaman) has just survived the most terrible tragedy during the holiday season. His young son has been killed by a stray bullet in a gang-related shootout. Fueled by adrenaline in the heat of a moment, he chases after the men who are responsible, a decision that ends with him being shot in the neck. He manages to make it out alive, but in the process he loses the ability to speak. After recovering, vengeance takes over his life, and he circles Christmas Eve on his calendar as the day for payback. And because the movie he’s in is called Silent Night, there’s hardly any audible dialogue throughout.

What Made an Impression?: Poetic Vengeance: It’s quite the challenge for an actor to realize a full characterization without being heard. Scott Cudi (aka the rapper Kid Cudi), for example, can only do so much as the lead detective, although to be fair, he doesn’t have that many scenes, and he’s mostly filling a utilitarian purpose. Kinnaman at least has plenty to do as the main character, with anguish written all over his face even at his most determined. But perhaps the most profound performance is delivered by Catalina Sandina Moreno as Brian’s wife Saya. With her deep eyes and full cheeks, she’s always had a visage that you can get lost in, and director John Woo knows exactly how to frame her. In many ways, Saya is the stereotypical action movie spouse who gets dropped by the wayside before the flashy set pieces arrive. But her eventual absence hits more profoundly than most, as Brian sinks further and further into the underworld.
Unrelenting … and Cathartic?: There are plenty of Christmas-set movies that aren’t exactly holly-jolly, so Silent Night isn’t exactly sacrilegious. But it is among the bleakest ever in this particular subgenre. When all is said and done and Brian has fed his desperation as much as he possibly can, I couldn’t help but feel devastated, even knowing that this is just a movie. But in a way, Silent Night also works as a what-not-to-do guide if the Worst Possible Thing happens to you as a parent, much the same way that the true crime genre is so popular in part because it can help warn us how to be less vulnerable in the face of life-threatening danger. Additionally, I can’t help but be impressed by Woo’s commitment to the gimmick, and breathe a sigh of relief when the tension of the whole mission finally concludes.

Silent Night is Recommended If You Like: Bracing yourself for the absolute worst tragedy

Grade: 3 out of 5 Christmas Sweaters