From legendary director John Woo and the producer of John Wick comes this gritty revenge tale of a tormented father who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. Written by Robert Archer Lynn, a film by John Woo, starring Joel Kinnaman, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Mescudi, and Harold Torres.

Brian (Joel Kinnaman) and Saya (Catalina Sandino Moreno), a joyful couple, share their life with their young son Taylor (Alex Briseño). On Christmas Eve 2021, Brian surprises Taylor with a brand-new bicycle. Laughter fills the air as they play in the front lawn, Saya capturing their joy on her phone. However, their merriment is shattered by the chilling crackle of gunfire. Caught in the crossfire of a gang war, Taylor becomes the tragic victim of a senseless drive-by shooting.

Blinded by grief and rage, Brian dashes after the gang cars, although it’s unclear how he keeps up with them on foot. A rival gang wrecks another gang’s vehicle. Brian somehow manages to intercepts another gang car and kills two members on the front seats. However, a man in the backseat survives the ordeal, he shoots Brian in the back and in the neck, leaving him for dead.

Brian survives, but his vocal cords severely damaged, rendering him unable to speak. He tenaciously navigates physical therapy, determined to reclaim his ability to walk. Finally, the day arrives, and he’s discharged from the hospital, blinking back into the world he left behind.

Arriving home, Brian is overwhelmed by the sight of the fully decorated Christmas tree with beautifully wrapped presents beneath it. (Although it’s supposed to be at least a few months past Christmas, why the tree is still there? Why there’s no mention of the funeral?) The tragedy has consumed the couple, especially Brian. He seems to lose the will to live, his days drowning in the oblivion of alcohol.

Saya has made several attempts to reconnect with Brian, but he mostly ignores her, lost in the suffocating depths of his own grief. One day, a flicker of resolve ignites within him, propelling him towards the stoic Detective Dennis at the Las Palomas Police Department. As he waits in Dennis’ office, his eyes scan the room, landing on a bulletin board plastered with the faces of notorious criminals. Brian snaps a couple of photos, his gaze locking onto a familiar face – the one who shot him in the neck, Playa, the infamous leader of the GI-7 Click gang. Abruptly, Brian leaves before Dennis returns. Fury courses through Brian. How could the police know about this gang and do nothing? Brian vows to take matters into his own hands.

In the April of 2022, a determined Brian embarks on a mission to vanquish the notorious GI-7 Click gang on the haunting Christmas Eve, the very day his son met a tragic end. Progressing diligently, he immerses himself in personal close combat training, drawing inspiration from instructional videos. Brian relentlessly builds his strength and endurance, purchases a car and weapons, and learns how to shoot a gun. His singular focus and unwavering dedication to avenging his son become all-consuming, so much so that Saya, his wife, can no longer bear witness to his descent into this dark path. Ultimately, she makes the heart-wrenching decision to part ways, leaving Brian to confront his quest for retribution alone.

Legendary Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo makes a long-awaited return to American cinema with his latest film, years after 2003’s “Paycheck.” While the film boasts the intriguing direction of Woo, it arrives under the relatively unknown Robert Archer Lynn. Lynn, whose prior experience primarily consists of a handful of lesser-known 2007 films, crafts a story with a bold stylistic choice: it’s an action film with almost no dialogue. While the absence of dialogue often forces filmmakers to rely heavily on visuals and sounds to convey plot and build the world, this film unfortunately falls short in both aspects. The plot lacks compelling twists or depth, and the action sequences fail to deliver the memorable punch expected from Woo’s signature style. And yes, there is bird flying scene, including explosions in slow motion.

The film’s first 30 minutes dwell heavily on grief, offering only a fleeting taste of action at the outset. This prolonged focus on the protagonist’s loss, while crucial to establishing his motivation, unfortunately overstays its welcome. Repetitive flashbacks detail the son’s death and the father’s love, leaving viewers yearning for narrative progression.

Further compounding this issue, the protagonist’s wife, also a parent grappling with the same tragedy, is relegated to a peripheral figure. Brief appearances fail to do justice to her own pain and agency, leaving the audience questioning whether the protagonist’s single-minded vengeance truly deserves their rooting interest. His anger, while understandable, risks pushing him towards reckless actions against individuals he barely knows, further blurring the lines of sympathy and judgment. The main antagonist also fails to offer any counterpoint to this moral quandary. The character lacks memorability and depth, leaving the story’s central conflict feeling one-sided and underdeveloped.

SILENT NIGHT was theatrically released in the United States on 1 December 2023.