Silent Night

This is a rather surprising film from Hong Kong director John Woo. Known for up beat, fast paced, gritty action films, Silent Night is a rather sombre, departure from what fans, like myself, have come to expect. The back story is rather sad and I feel this film dwells on this aspect to the point of "almost" becoming obsessively morose. I appreciate the key characters motivation is based on a tragic event but constantly re-visiting this aspect of the back story, tends to drag the film down emotionally, throwing bucket after bucket of cold water, on what is supposed to be an action romp. Action sequences are well done, fight scenes and gun play of the predictable John Woo style. Its far from boring once it gets under way. In summary, watchable but for myself, a little too morose and sad, to really offer up a truly enjoyable action romp.

First movie of John Woo in Hollywood since Paycheck in 2003 (that was an average movie). This movie is almost all based on the expression of the protagonist and secondary characters, even being previsible and a bit melodramatic (but the melodrama is dispersed thorough the movie), without any line whatsoever is something to be praised and offstream. A father suffers the sudden loss of his son in a gangs shootout in a fictional city on Texas, and barely surviving trying to catch the killers - no explanation why he have those skills in the start of the story and in the end being all movie a preparation for revenge is a big no-no on the script thought. But is enjoyable especially if you like revenge is better served cold movies. The tension is present and even being previsible the movie delivers the satisfaction of revenge in the end, building up tension till the end (I liked the final scene btw - it was something that was bothering me, and that little bit was explained [ I mean his reactions to the mother that suffered such a hard loss too ] ). Being a John Woo movie you expect very electrifying action scenes and you get those on sequences on the start, middle and especially end as it should be. Really nice and bloody btw - and for the acting of Joel Kinnaman as the only protagonist I decided to gave the movie one star more than it would be without him. So a 7.0 out 1f 10.0 / B for this one. If you crave action and revenge for Christmas this is it (speaking of Xmas, it only serves as a more dramatic starting point for the story - it could have been any time of the year, but hey we need something for the season every year right?).