1/6/24 - Silent Night (2023) - 4/10

Stands out for its near wordless status and that John Woo directed it, but I can’t say that it is some grande return to glory days. He packs some solid action set pieces, as to be expected, in this Yuletide Deathwish John Q. PubWick, but they are the singular bits of pop in this muddle of a fizzle. The plot is bare as sun bleached bones, eschewing character and story for bizarre camera panache and downhill momentum. It moves as if it had nothing else it could do, but it has touches of oddness, not enough squibs, and a disheartening lack of doves, turtle or otherwise.

You can’t get more “what you expect is what you get” and it’s 104 min, but it is a film ushered to us by its reputation and pedigree that can’t stand on its own. There are better revenge tales out there and stronger action.