Explosive Holidays: Unleashing the Action-packed Thrills of John Woo's Latest Christmas Blockbuster!
Legendary action director John Woo returns to theaters with his highly anticipated Christmas-themed action movie, 'Silent Night' Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled holiday extravaganza unlike anything you've seen before!
Highlights
Action legend John Woo aims to make an explosive comeback with the upcoming R-rated action film Silent Night, sticking to what he knows and does best.
Joel Kinnaman leads the cast of Silent Night, portraying a sorrow-stricken father embarking on a quest for vengeance against those responsible for his son's tragic death during a Christmas Eve gang conflict. Lionsgate has set the release date for Silent Night on December 1st, 2023, aiming to recreate the triumph of their previous film, Violent Night, but with a heightened solemnity.
David Harbour set a new standard for Christmas movies last year with the action-comedy Violent Night, adding a touch of chaotic fun to the holiday season. Now, action legend John Woo is ready to elevate this unique subgenre even further with his highly anticipated return to theaters in the upcoming R-rated action film Silent Night. With two decades since his last film release, Woo, known for his incredible choreography and directing skills, is determined to make a explosive comeback by sticking to his strengths.
After the disappointment of his previous Hollywood film, the 2003 sci-fi actioner Paycheck starring Ben Affleck, Woo went back to his Hong Kong roots and focused on Asian cinema, releasing the two-part epics Red Cliff and The Crossing. In 2021, it was announced that Woo would be making his return to Hollywood with an experimental action film produced by Basil Iwanyk, the mastermind behind John Wick. This unique film is set during Christmas and features no dialogue, resulting in the thrilling chaos depicted in Lionsgate's thrilling new trailer for Silent Night.
What is 'Silent Night' About?
Oddly enough, the plot of the film is reminiscent of Woo's 1997 absurdist masterpiece Face/Off. It begins with Nicolas Cage's character, the maniacal Castor Troy, killing the son of John Travolta's character, the straight-laced Sean Archer. In Silent Night, Joel Kinnaman plays a grieving father whose son is tragically killed during a gang war outside their home on Christmas Eve. Rendered unable to speak due to his injuries, Kinnaman's character formulates a vengeful plan to enact on the anniversary of the tragedy. Unlike Travolta's Archer, he is not an FBI agent and instead takes on the path of a vigilante, obsessively training himself to achieve the single goal on his mind. The film also features Scott Mescudi, also known as Kid Cudi, and Catalina Scandino Moreno from TV's From.
When is 'Silent Night' in Theaters?
Lionsgate has announced that Silent Night will hit theaters on December 1st, 2023, just a day before Universal released Violent Night last year. The studio is clearly aiming to replicate the success of the latter, which earned an impressive $76 million on a $20 million budget. However, while Violent Night embraced the comedic aspects of its absurd concept, Silent Night appears to approach things with a slightly more serious tone, while still retaining the inherent craziness that fans loved in Woo's earlier work.
Can John Woo Return to Action Greatness?
Woo's reputation as an exceptional action director is underscored by the trailer. He gained prominence in the early 1990s through his Hong Kong-based productions: Bullet in the Head and Hard-Boiled, both known for their astounding body counts in action cinema. Woo made his American debut with the successful 1993 film Hard Target, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. This achievement paved the way for him to direct the blockbuster Broken Arrow in 1996. Although the film may not fully showcase Woo's talent, it played a crucial role in leading to his greatest accomplishment.
Paramount is developing a sequel/remake of the timeless film Face/Off, with director Adam Wingard at the helm. While Wingard is a talented filmmaker in his own right, this soft-reboot of an untouchable action classic seems unwarranted. John Woo, the director of the original film, was able to transform an unbelievably absurd script into something completely believable. Woo's unique blend of absurd comedy and intense drama created a captivating and strange world that kept the audience enthralled, despite the relentless insanity of the story. This was largely due to the outstanding performances of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, who perfectly matched Woo's crazy style.
After Face/Off, Woo's American films, such as Mission: Impossible II, Windtalkers, and Paycheck, were disappointing and damaged his reputation in Hollywood. However, he hopes for a resurgence with his upcoming film, Silent Night. If Silent Night can capture even a fraction of the electrifying energy found in Face/Off or Hard-Boiled, Woo's future prospects will be promising. A few years ago, there were discussions about Woo adapting the unpublished Stan Lee story "Monkey Master," and the success of Silent Night could potentially generate momentum for that project, as well as any other ideas the esteemed action director dreams of pursuing in the twilight of his illustrious career.
