DVD Corner

Silent Night Blu-ray Review

“Silent Night” is an admirable John Woo film.  

Written by Robert Archer Lynn, “Silent Night” is a dialogue-free action film. The story begins on a tragic Christmas Eve where Brian’s son Taylor is killed in a gang war. Full of rage, Brian tries to chase after the gangsters responsible but is shot in the throat by a gang leader named Playa. Miraculously, Brian manages to survive but is no longer able to speak. Rather than attempting to move on with his wife, Brian vows revenge the following Christmas Eve. In the meantime, he starts training with weapons, gathering intel on the criminals, and more. 

It had been 20 years since director John Woo did an American film, but the filmmaker has returned with a Christmas time action movie titled “Silent Night.” In the past John Woo was an influential action filmmaker having done classics like “The Killer” and “Face/Off.” Since then the world of action movies has changed drastically. With “Silent Night,” there’s definite shades of recent action favs like “John Wick” and “The Raid,” but Woo shows that he can still make a decidedly unique action experience. 

While the movie has a no dialogue gimmick, it generally works in its favor. Sure, there are a few moments where it felt like there should have been dialogue, but by and large the actors are able to convey the emotions without uttering a word. Moreover, this is a very simple action-revenge film. It’s a no frills type of movie. Brian is out for revenge and he will do anything to avenge his son. That’s all you need to know. You can just kick back and enjoy the car chases and shootouts. 

Speaking of Brian, Joel Kinnaman does a fine job in the role. This is a proper action vehicle for the actor. It was especially rewarding to see a character who is just an every man. He wasn’t already an action hero. He trained to be able to fight and stand up to the bad guys. Outlandish? Sure, but it’s a different type of character arc than we usually see in action flicks. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.00:1 1080p. Grade: A-

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. Grade: A

Extras:
* Theatrical trailer
* DVD copy
* Digital copy
* “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”- A 17 minute featurette on the film with interviews, set footage and film clips. 

January 31, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Action Movie, Christmas Movie, John Woo, Silent Night Blu-ray Review