User:FrostFairBlade/sandbox/Silent Night (2023 film)
- Silent Night (2023)
- Woo said that he was frustrated by the lack of scripts that were interesting to him, saying that he had been pigeonholed into doing historical films in China, and big, commercial action films in Hollywood[1]
- Woo said that in Hollywood, he was never sent any scripts for more personal, smaller-scale films because he became established as a big-budget action director[2][3]
- Asking his agents for compelling scripts, Woo was intrigued by one that Thunder Road Films sent him containing no dialogue[4][5]
- Using the script as a personal challenge to visually tell a story, Woo directed Silent Night (2023)[6]
- Silent Night stars Joel Kinnaman as a grieving father who goes on a revenge mission after losing his son and his own voice to a gang shootout on Christmas Eve[7][8][9]
- He described the movie as his "first independent film", as there was little studio interference with the project, to the point where it reminded him of his smaller-scale Hong Kong productions[10][11]
- Woo intentionally changed his personal style for this film, incorporating more grounded, realistic fight choreography and not including common motifs like doves[8]
- The film received mixed reviews
- Glenn Kenny of The New York Times thought that the movie was "suspenseful and cathartic", saying that "even the schmaltzy stuff is so distinctly John Woo that it’s welcome."[12]
- The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck enjoyed Woo's kinetic action sequences and "gorgeously fluid" visual transitions; he said "the film’s lack of dialogue proves not a gimmick but an asset."[13]
- Richard Roeper said, "there’s something undeniably refreshing about Woo’s reliance on sound, movement and sometimes flashy camera moves to tell his very simple but effective revenge tale."[14]
Plot
[edit]Cast
[edit]Production
[edit]Conception
[edit]Writing and development
[edit]Casting
[edit]Filming and post-production
[edit]Music
[edit]Design
[edit]Release
[edit]Context
[edit]Box office
[edit]Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]Accolades
[edit]Post-release
[edit]Home media
[edit]Other media
[edit]Thematic analysis
[edit]Legacy
[edit]Cultural influence
[edit]Critical reassessment
[edit]Sequels and spin-offs
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Volk, Pete (2023-11-28). "John Woo on returning to Hollywood at 77 and trying 'to do it a bit different'". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ Stern, Marlow (2023-12-01). "Why John Woo Took a 20-Year Break From Hollywood". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Surrey, Miles (2023-12-04). ""I Don't Play by the Rules": John Woo Returns to Hollywood With a Blood-Soaked Christmas Thriller". The Ringer. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
- ^ Shackleton, Liz (2022-07-18). "John Woo On His Return To U.S. Filmmaking, New Project About Columbia University Donor Dean Lung & Remake Of 'The Killer'". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
- ^ Bramesco, Charles (2023-11-30). "The return of John Woo: 'I still know what I'm doing'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan (2023-12-01). "John Woo Talks Dialogue-Free 'Silent Night' and Not Retiring Anytime Soon: 'I'll Keep Making Movies as Long as I'm Still Alive'". Variety. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Deckelmeier, Joe (2023-11-30). "Silent Night Interview: John Woo Explains Why The Lack Of Dialogue Excited Him & What Sets Joel Kinnaman Apart". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ a b Yamato, Jen (2023-11-30). "Action icon John Woo on why he loves L.A. and what brought him back to Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Bria, Bill (2023-11-30). "Legendary Action Director John Woo Talks About Switching Up His Style For Silent Night [Exclusive Interview]". /Film. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Mendelson, Scott (2023-12-01). "John Woo Talks Making A Smaller, More Grounded Action Movie". TheWrap. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Davids, Brian (2023-12-01). "'Silent Night' Director John Woo Explains Why He's Dialed Back His Signature Action Style". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Kenny, Glenn (2023-11-30). "'Silent Night' Review: On the First Day of Christmas, Kill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
- ^ Scheck, Frank (2023-11-27). "'Silent Night' Review: Joel Kinnaman in John Woo's Gripping Hollywood Comeback". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
- ^ Roeper, Richard (2023-11-30). "'Silent Night': Joel Kinnaman is no talk, all action in brutal, dialogue-free thriller". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
Cited literature
[edit]- Elder, Robert K., ed. (2005). John Woo: Interviews. Conversations with Filmmakers Series. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-57806-776-3. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - Heard, Christopher (2000). Ten Thousand Bullets: The Cinematic Journey of John Woo. Lone Eagle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58065-021-2. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - Stokes, Lisa Odham; Hoover, Michael (1999). City on Fire: Hong Kong Cinema. Verso. ISBN 978-1-85984-716-9. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
Further reading
[edit]External links
[edit]- Hard Boiled at IMDb
- Hard Boiled at the Hong Kong Movie DataBase
- Hard Boiled at AllMovie
- Hard Boiled at Letterboxd
- Hard Boiled at the TCM Movie Database