Silent Night
release year: 2023
genre: action/drama
viewing setting: home DVD 2/25/24
synopsis: After his young son is killed by random gunfire from warring criminals, a father spends a year preparing to exact revenge.
impressions: The gimmick here is almost no spoken words, mainly because the protagonist got shot in the throat and can't make words. He spends half the year sulking and drinking, then the other half of the year training in shooting, driving, fighting, and such. And then, on Christmas, he goes for it (in movie time, it takes right about half an hour.) The problem: he didn't study enough tactics, and so his chosen mission is a lot harder than it could have been. This was okay, but I found myself craving something like The Punisher TV series for a proper demonstration of tactics and weaponry.
acting: Joel Kinnaman is the grieving father, who's new to the world of violence but possesses strong motivation. Harold Torres is the thug most directly responsible for the son's death, although his reaction to finding out someone's after his is almost comical (inject your druggie girlfriend with more drugs, turn up some rap music, and start dancing in your fortified home.) Scott Mescudi is a detective who never solved the case but has a late change of heart. Catalina Sandino Moreno is the main character's wife, who can't help her husband and eventually chooses to leave.
final word: Good premise, but the hero was a little too underpowered and hard to relate to.
back to the main review page