Fans of the more intense or unsettling corners of cinema know that any movie featuring a holiday theme is sure to stand out from the crowd, with October and All Hallow’s Eve being a popular setting for genre films. Other experiences, however, prefer to juxtapose their intense subject matter with more lighthearted events, with the ’70s and ’80s seeing a rise in action and horror films taking place during the Christmas season. While some of these films offer little more than an opportunity to contradict the on-screen brutality with the seasonal cheer that comes with the holidays, others find unique ways of incorporating long-held mythology and traditions to make that setting intrinsic to the narrative. In the case of Violent Night, audiences are given an experience that rests entirely on the power of Santa Claus, both literally and figuratively, to make for an absurd, brutal, and gleeful adventure.
