Film Review

Silent Night (2023) — technically fun, but devoid of depth

A grieving father enacts his long-awaited revenge against a ruthless gang on Christmas Eve.

Silent Night, legendary action filmmaker John Woo’s first American film in over 20 years, not to be confused with Camille Griffin’s Silent Night (2021) starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode, promises to be the newest entry into the tiny canon of action holiday movies, mixing crimson blood with the joyful red-and-green of Christmas. However, Woo’s latest stint is unlikely to enter the pantheon of festive classics, as his return to Hollywood doesn’t muster enough action or thematic development to be memorable.

On a Christmas Eve marred by tragedy, Brian Godluck (Joel Kinnaman) witnesses the unthinkable: the accidental killing of his son on their front lawn. Consumed by a relentless thirst for vengeance, Godluck embarks on a perilous crusade to bring justice to his son’s killers-a ruthless gang that casts a long shadow over the economically troubled streets of Los Angeles.