VIOLENT NIGHT has a brilliant cold open. Santa Claus (David Harbour) sits commiserating with one of his mall look-alikes at a pub in England. As the conversation goes on we learn that Santa has become bitter about the lack of magic and overall greediness in the world. The scene ends with a disgusting comic button that is buttressed by a soaring score and magical special effects. With a script by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, director Tommy Wirkola is aiming for a generous mix of unabashed Christmas magic and gross-out action comedy. Most of it works wonderfully. Sadly, even in Santa’s bag of toys you get a few clunkers in the form of expository and repetitive scenes that weigh down what could have been brilliant.

The elements are all here for one of those lavishly produced holiday movies that we give into every year. Skyler Lightstone (Alex Hassell) and Linda (Alexis Louder) are an estranged couple who agree to spend Christmas eve with their daughter Trudy (Leah Brady) at the Lightstone family compound. The profanely wealthy family is led by foul-mouthed  Gertrude Lightstone (Beverly D’Angelo). While Skyler and Linda tolerate each other for the sake of their daughter, Trudy’s one Christmas wish is that her parents get back together.

Arrival at the family mansion plays out as usual with Skyler’s sister Alva (Edi Patterson) already drunk and spiteful with son Bert (Alexander Elliot) and another boyfriend in tow. As this dysfunctional family settles in to pretend to care for one another they are ambushed by their staff and mastermind Ben (John Leguizamo) who are in search of the family’s stash of 300 million in cash in the family safe. That’s about the time Santa lands on the roof. Caught in the middle of a violent hostage situation Santa is convinced to help them by Trudy who still believes in Christmas magic.

As I mentioned before, there is a lot that works in VIOLENT NIGHT. Every aspect of craft enforces the joke that this is one of those magical holiday films meant to revive your belief in Santa Claus. Matthew Weston’s rich photography and lush colors pop from the screen. Dominic Lewis’ score never once signals that we should feel anything but wonder and happiness. The production design by Roger Fires with art direction by Ksenia Markova and set decoration by Tamara Gauthier all scream Hallmark on steroids. That’s paired with impressive albeit extended fight scenes and choreography, salty dialogue, and copious gore. The reason why the mix works is that we are never made to feel dumb for truly believing in Santa Claus. Christmas magic is real here.

The talent also seems to be having a ball with Harbour giving us a grumpy but lovable Santa and the glorious D’Angelo chewing up every single second of screentime she can.

What doesn’t work is the run time. hindered by a few too many repetitive scenes and backstories, the pacing of the film begins to lag. By the end of act two, we have had several scenes with a disheartened Santa going over his past and in desperate need of encouragement. We have already watched as various henchmen meet a gory demise. We want to see what’s in store.

VIOLENT NIGHT is a goofy, gory, fattened Christmas goose of a movie offering brute cynicism mixed with unadulterated Christmas Cheer.

7 out of 10