Film Review: Silent Night (2021)

Rate This Movie

SYNOPSIS:

From producers Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman franchise), Trudie Styler (Moon) and Celine Rattray (The Kids Are Alright), Silent Night follows parents Nell (Knightley) and Simon (Goode) who have invited their closest friends to join their family for Christmas dinner at their idyllic home in the English countryside.  As the group comes together, it feels like old times – but behind all of the laughter and merriment, something is not quite right.  The world outside is facing impending doom, and no amount of gifts, games or Prosecco can make mankind’s imminent destruction go away.  Surviving the holidays just got a lot more complicated.

REVIEW:

Directed and written by Camille Griffin, Silent Night approaches right in time for the holidays. Chaos, happiness, laughter, love, family, friends, and death. Tis’ the season.

I love Christmas-related horror films like Krampus, Black Christmas, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Gremlins. But nothing says Christmas like doom and gloom, and the end of the world.

Keira Knightly plays Nell, she is getting ready for the arrival of family and friends. The house is beautiful, it’s five minutes into the movie and the house is already a character. Simon (Matthew Goode) is Nell’s husband, and Art (Roman Griffin David), Thomas (Gilby Griffin Davis), and Hardy (Hardy Griffin Davis) are their sons.

They are preparing for Christmas while also getting ready to die with the rest of the world.

We meet quite a few characters including: Sophie portrayed by Lily-Rose Depp and her boyfriend James portrayed by Sope Dirisu. We also meet Sandra (Annabelle Wallis) and her husband Tony (Rufus Jones) and daughter Kitty (Davida McKenzie).

Meanwhile, Bella (Lucy Punch) and Alex (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) arrive at Nell’s. Oh NO, Bella don’t eat the bloody carrots, no legit the kid cut himself and bled all over the carrots.

The whole group sits down to dinner, and they have quite a conversation. After dinner, a serious conversation, some charades, the guy’s head out to the greenhouse to talk. Simon, James, and Tony (Rufus Jones) have a conversation about all the wild stuff happening including Sophie being pregnant in the middle of all of this.

Now they are having another conversation about the past, and Alex is playing Scrabble by herself, spelling out everybody’s “mistakes.” We learn all sorts of secrets within this group. Nell seems to keep it together no matter what.Art keeps watching the video about the poisonous gas coming and the “exit pills” you can take to “keep from suffering.” It’s really scary when you think about what’s happening in the world now. To go back to the dinner, if you listen to some of the speech the kids give, they talk about taking better care of the planet.

Art is questioning authority; he is curious and wants answers. I can’t say I don’t blame him. I would be asking questions also. I will always be there for people but when it comes to being a “Ride or Die,” I have QUESTIONS! Where are we riding too? What am I bringing? I’m all for spontaneity, and I have done way too many things that way. I just think you should ask questions.

We certainly should take better care of the planet. Lucy Punch is great, she’s funny. Nell calls her mom Nicole portrayed by Trudie Styler. Nicole is interrupted by what looks like a dark cloud, a cloud of doom. I feel bad for Art, he has so many questions and as usual the “grown-ups” are just going with it, and listening.

While the world ends, “Fame” by Irene Cara plays… It’s sad and disturbing watching these people just celebrate, fight, love one another while this hellish tornado is followed by a cloud of doom. Art doesn’t want to take the pill that kills you before the poison comes.

Keira Knightley, Lily-Rose Depp, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste are just incredible in this movie. Art discovers something horrible, and the reality of what’s happening has hit Art and Simon. I can’t even imagine this. I guess they gave the “exit” pills to everyone.

The beautiful English countryside home is about to be engulfed by this poisonous cloud of doom. Oh lord, this was depressing. It was different but it was more than a horror movie. It was sad, it shows how short life can be and people choose life or cruelty.

This cast did a great job. Camille Griffin delivered a different story, and took away the whole commercialization of Christmas and the ending, HOLY GHOST! You need to watch the movie. Questioning people, no matter what they are is important. Always ask questions whether it’s a doctor, a scientist, a vet, a teacher. Ask those questions. I wonder if there will be a sequel?

Make sure to check out SILENT NIGHT.