BECOME A MEMBER!
No ads, leave comments,
influence content, live AMA’s,
and more.
See all the benefits

Violent Night, Gory Night: Movie Review Of Violent Night

by: 
hello world!
Shana Martin
| January 22, 2023
hello world!

Let me start with a warning for parents and guardians. This action comedy film is rated R. It is NOT a film for young children! Violent Night contains violence, adult language, copious amounts of blood, and severed limbs. With just a dash of reindeer turds and vomit. This trailer should give an idea of what the film is like:

Plot!

It's Christmas eve for Lightstones. Jason (Alex Hassell), Linda (Alexis Louder), and their daughter, Trudy (Leah Brady), are going to her grandmother's heavily fortified estate to celebrate Christmas. When they arrive, they are greeted by Jason's greedy sister Alva (Edi Patterson), her self-absorbed actor boyfriend Morgan Steel (Cam Gigandet), and her spoiled social-media-obsessed brat son Bert (Alexander Elliot). They wait for the arrival of matriarch Gertrude Lightstone (Beverly D' Angelo).

The Lightstone family sits in their Christmas-decorated living room while someone with body armor and a rifle stands behind them.
A Christmas the Lightstones will never forget! (87North, Universal)

Despite the strict security, a group of mercenaries led by John Leguizamo's Scrooge manages to infiltrate the estate. He wants the three hundred million that is locked away in a secret vault, and—Christmas or not—he is willing to kill to get it. No wonder he's known as Scrooge.  However, unbeknownst to Scrooge and the hostages, there is someone else who's found his way in through the chimney, and they'd better watch out because Santa Clause (David Harbour) is coming to town!

Holy Jingle Bells!

(87North, Universal)

This film is one roller coaster ride that I would gladly ride again and again! It has a perfect blend of the warmth and comedic violence of Home Alone with the over-the-top brutality found in Die Hard. David's portrayal of the not-so-saintly Saint Nick is both bad ass—oops… I mean annus (see the film for reference)—and heartwarming.  He's a bad annus for the way he gives those on his naughty list their comeuppance—a way that would make John McClane, and Rambo proud.    

Harbour's Santa is also heartwarming because of the relationship he builds with Trudy while she hides from the bad guys. I just wanted to reach through the screen and give Santa a big polar bear hug at the end. This is definitely going on my "must-watch" Christmas list!

Have you seen Violent Night? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below.

Hey fellow nerds! Before you dive back into that gaming session or start your next binge-watch, here’s the deal with Couch Soup: we’re a completely independent pop culture site run by genuine fans who get just as hyped as you do about the latest games, comics, movies, and TV shows. No corporate overlords, no AI-generated content, just real people who know their Metroid from their Mass Effect.

Unlike the big corporate sites, we don’t chase clicks or stir up drama. Sure, we might have some hot takes (looking at you, controversial season finale), but they come from a place of genuine passion and respect for the creators and fandoms we cover.

Want to support what we do and join what we think is the coolest community of pop culture enthusiasts on the internet? Check out our supporter tiers – each packed with perks that’ll level up your fandom experience. Every contribution helps keep us independent and lets us keep nerding out with you!

Thanks for being part of our quest – now, back to our regularly scheduled geekery!
Drew Lewis,
Editor-in-chief
Membership
Monthly
Yearly
Members Only Newsletter
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Ability to Comment on Articles
Unlocked
Access to Couchsoup Community
Circle Forum
SIGN UP
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Annual Membership
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Annual Membership
Annual Membership
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Annual Membership
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN
Annual Membership
Everything in free +
No Ads on the Site! Woohoo!
5% Couch Soup Store Discount
Monthly AMA chat with CouchSoup team members
Early access (up to 72hrs) to new
episodes
Access to exclusive members only
content (video & articles)
JOIN

About the Author

  • Shana Martin

    Shana is originally from Findlay, Ohio, and currently resides in Largo in Central Florida. She proclaims that in life she “always has the BEST seat in the house!” Being diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy from birth has not stopped her from living life to the fullest. Her poetry has been published in 6 different collections. She loves Renaissance Festivals and any film that has copious amounts of sword fighting. She’s also addicted to yarn and chocolate!

Share This

1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Dar Sid
2 years ago

Instant holiday classic! David Harbour is lovable and this film is full of gruesome merriment! The cinematography is really amazing and I had a great time seeing this!

Comments are for members only. Sign up here to become a member for free.

The Bowl

Stephanie Judge
2 days ago
Another Benoit Blanc Mystery? Sign me up! Rian Johnson is back at it again with another murder mystery for our beloved Detective Benoit Blanc to solve in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. With a stacked cast and a gothic, moody vibe, this is already seeming to be a promising addition to the […]
Stephanie Judge
2 days ago
In the age of live-action remakes, Disney is at it again with a remake of the beloved sensation, Moana (2016)... A mere 10 years after the initial release, mind you. While the footage is heavy on the CGI, it effectively captures the beauty of the original animations and features beloved characters like Hei Hei. But […]

    Iain McParland
    2 days ago
    I'm so intrigued by Vince Gilligan's new show on Apple TV+. What do you think is going on? Is Carole going to be able to stop any of it? How about the dude from Paraguay!?!?!
    Media image
    Stephanie Judge
    7 days ago
    Our first look at the highly anticipated sequel to The Devil Wears Prada is finally here! In the words of Nigel, I guess "... it's time for a promotion." Will you be watching? In theaters May 1, 2026.
    Drew Lewis
    7 days ago
    It's the holiday season, and if you're looking for that special something for a Star Wars-loving spouse or child, then nothing says you have too much money than buying Boba Fett's (Jeremy Bulloch) Hero Screen EE-3 Carbine Rifle from The Empire Strikes Back. It's estimated to go for more than $460,000.  That said, this would […]
    Media image
    1 12
    November 13, 2025 | Videos

    Watching Now: Gen V Season 2 Special

    1 2 3 166

    Get our Newsletter!

    Featured

    Raiders of the ARC

    Beware the Tumbleweeds! If you’re already playing ARC Raiders, then you know exactly what I mean. If you’re not yet, let's talk about why you should and why this looter/shooter with extraction, might just be the GOTY for 2025.
    by Tim BeisiegelNovember 19, 2025
    1 2 3 1,108

    Read more

    WTF Just Happened in Outlander? S6, E2, "Allegiance"

    Liza talks about that scary birth scene and hints at revolution set the stage for even more drama in Outlander Season 6, Episode 2, "Allegiance."
    by Lizabeth PhoenixMarch 21, 2022 

    The Watchers Wastes its Intriguing Premise and Squanders its Potential

    The Watchers, the new horror film from Ishana Shyamalan has Dakota Fanning attempt to escape an unescapable forest whilst monsters watch her from just out of reach. Unfortunately, the setup is far better than the execution. Let us tell you why.
    by Iain McParlandJune 12, 2024 
    1 2 3 285
    © 2025 CouchSoup, LLC. All Rights Reserved
    Terms of Service | Privacy
    © 2024 CouchSoup, LLC. All Rights Reserved
    crossmenuchevron-down