Silent Night (2023)

Film and Plot Synopsis

From legendary director John Woo and the producer of John Wick comes this gritty revenge tale of a tormented father (Joel Kinnaman) who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death. Full of Woo’s signature style, Silent Night redefines the action genre with visceral, thrill-a-minute storytelling. (Courtesy of Lionsgate)

‘Silent Night’ Movie Summary

The film begins on Christmas Day with father Brian Godlock (Joel Kinnaman) racing through the streets of the fictional town of Las Palomas, Texas in pursuit of two vehicles that were committing a drive by shooting in Brian’s neighborhood. Brian’s young son Taylor Michael (Alex Briseño) is caught in the crossfire and killed. Seeking revenge, Brian pursues the cars on foot. He eventually catches one of the crashed vehicles, but Brian is shot twice, including in the throat, by a gang member with a spider web tattoo on his head (Acoyani Chacón). Webface leaves Brian for dead, but Brian survives the shooting although his vocal cords are severely damaged which prevent him from speaking.

Brian and his wife Saya (Catalina Sandino Moreno) morn the loss of their son, although Brian becomes more cold and distant over time, initially seeking solace in alcohol. Saya tries to be supportive of Brian as he recovers physically and emotionally. Eventually, the loneliness becomes too much for Saya and she leaves Brian. Brian falls further into despair, seeing no purpose to his life any longer. Brian goes to have a meeting with Detective Dennis Vassel (Scott Mescudi), the police officer assigned to investigate Taylor’s death. While waiting for the detective, Brian sees the wanted posters for many of the gang members in Las Palomas, including Webface. Brian takes pictures of all of the posters and leaves without meeting with the detective.

Brian returns home and decides to seek revenge against the criminals. He makes a plan to kill all the gang members, no matter what, on Christmas Eve. Brian spends the next eight months preparing his body and learning the operations and practices of the drug cartel in Las Palomas. Brian also trains himself in the use of deadly weaponry and self-defense. Over the course of the many months, Saya attempts to contact Brian and expresses that she and his parents are concerned about him. However, Brian ignores the messages and remains focused on his mission.

Christmas Eve arrives, and Brian abducts one of Webface’s gang members and ties him up in his garage. Brian threatens the man in an attempt to extort information on the gang’s activity. The thug fights back and momentarily escapes before being recaptured by Brian. Brian drops the man’s body off on the door of Detective Vassel, along with a Christmas card announcing his intent to kill the gang and a thumb drive that includes all of Brian’s research and the information that the gang member gave up after being tortured by Brian. Brian also sends two of the thug’s amputated fingers to Webface.

Brian spends the entire night of Christmas Eve driving around Las Palomas killing Webface’s gang. One of Webface’s men sends a video of Brian killing the gang just prior to being killed himself. Webface recalls all of his men back to the gang headquarters to protect him. However, Brian still comes to the hideout and begins killing all of the gang. Detective Vassel goes to the hideout as well to help Brian, presumedly to put an end to all of the violence that he has had to investigate over the years.

Eventually, all of Webface’s men are dead, leaving only Webface and his drug addicted girlfriend (Valeria-Santaella) alive. Brian and Vassel work together to confront them. Both Brian and the detective are mortally wounded after being shot by the girlfriend. Brian gets the drop on her and hesitates before killing the girlfriend. Brian and Webface fight each other. Eventually, Webface gets the upper hand and prepares to kill Brian, but Vassel shoots Webface before allowing Brian to kill the gang leader.

After everyone is dead, Brian and Vassel fall to the floor and look up at the ceiling in the drug den which is strangely decorated with Christmas decorations. Dying, Brian sees reflections of his memories of his son, including images of what Taylor’s future would have been if he survived. A short time later, Saya opens a later from Brian that he wrote before beginning his acts of vengeance. In the letter, Brian apologizes for how cold he became during the marriage and thanks her for always loving him. Brian explains that although no one can make Taylor’s death right, that he is going to die trying. Saya takes the letter to Taylor’s grave where she discovers that Brian has built a toy train set around Taylor’s grave – a gift that had not been opened on the day of Taylor’s death.