CNN —The idea of a nasty Christmas movie is nothing new, but “Violent Night” still manages to deliver the goods, mixing “Die Hard” and “Rambo”-style action with a fair amount of hokey ho-ho-hokum.
David Harbour makes a particularly good cranky, butt-kicking Santa, in a movie that offers the sort of shared experience that should bring theaters some much-needed cheer.
Still, pulling off that combination of over-the-top violence, goofy comedy and (in this case) Hallmark-style meaning-of-Christmas stuff is a pretty formidable challenge, and while the setting proves slightly claustrophobic, “Violent Night” mostly overcomes it.
That might not be the formula for a fun-for-the-whole-family holiday perennial, but to its credit, those sitting through “Violent Night” should rarely stay silent for long.
“Violent Night” premieres December 2 in US theaters.