Silent Night Review: John Woo’s Hollywood Return Is Messy, Guilty Fun

I don’t typically like the term “guilty pleasure,” especially when it comes to genre movies. Whatever we think is good or interesting belongs in the same category of thought and discussion, regardless of its packaging. But, I have to admit, I feel a little guilty about liking Silent Night. I’ve often found it rewarding to think “too hard” about films that don’t actively invite it, but some that felt solid can crumble under the extra pressure in retrospect, something I usually take into account in a review. In this case, for whatever reason, no amount of clarity about its hollowness has put a dent in my enjoyment. So, all I can offer in the way of criticism is a glimpse into my cognitive dissonance: an accounting of all the reasons I shouldn’t recommend Silent Night, and why I do anyway.