For some people, a good Christmas movie is not chestnuts roasting on the fire, It’s a roaring fire with bombs and blasting bullets! If you like action with your Yuletide cheer, here are the 10 best Christmas action movies!
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10. Violent Night (2022)
If you loved Die Hard and Home Alone, then “Violent Night” is a clever, almost tongue-in-cheek mashup homage. The holiday season takes a chilling turn as a family finds themselves besieged by a group of mysterious intruders. Santa (David Harber) decides this group of criminals means a major butt-kicking. Winter night becomes a backdrop for a violent and suspenseful home invasion. The film uses the festive setting to intensify the horror. Santa begins to rack up a body count.
“Violent Night” explores the darker side of the holidays, transforming familiar Christmas imagery into symbols of terror in a gripping tale of survival amidst seasonal celebrations gone awry.
9. The Silent Partner (1978)
Set against the festive backdrop of the Christmas season, “The Silent Partner” introduces Miles Cullen (Elliott Gould), a bank teller who stumbles upon plans for a holiday heist. Choosing to keep the information to himself, Cullen becomes a reluctant player in a dangerous yuletide game. He steals the money himself before the crook arrives.
The tension rises as the story unfolds amid holiday decorations and festivities, adding a layer of irony to the suspense.
With Christmas as a backdrop, the film weaves a gripping tale of deception, trust, and unexpected twists, as a cat-and-mouse game unfolds in a chase for the cash.
8. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
In “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” the Christmas season becomes a backdrop for an intense action thriller. Samantha Caine (Geena Davis), lives in a small town with her daughter. She’s suffering from amnesia. Bit by bit, she begins to rediscover her past. She unravels her mysterious history – she’s a skilled assassin – alongside a private investigator (Samuel L. Jackson). The winter landscape becomes a canvas for explosive action sequences and high-stakes espionage.
The film skillfully weaves holiday aesthetics into its adrenaline-pumping plot, creating a unique blend of festive cheer and pulse-pounding suspense.
7. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
“Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” is a Christmas modern noir comedy that unfolds during the holiday season in Los Angeles. Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.), a petty thief, lands in Hollywood to train for a potential movie role. However, he accidentally finds himself in a Hollywood murder mystery during a Christmas party. He’s being trained by a private detective (Val Kilmer). The pair get tangled up with an aspiring actress (Michelle Monaghan). Harry navigates the glitzy yet perilous landscape of Hollywood during the festive season.
The film cleverly weaves Yuletide elements and an old-school detective feel, with a heaping helping of dark humor, while maintaining mystery, fisticuffs, and bullets throughout.
6. The Ice Harvest (2005)
“The Ice Harvest” is a dark comedy-crime film that unfolds on Christmas Eve in Wichita. Charlie Arglist (John Cusack), a shady lawyer, embezzles money from his local mobster employer alongside a strip club owner, Vic (Billy Bob Thornton).
The two face a series of complications and betrayals as they attempt to swindle one another. They desperately try to escape the consequences of their actions during a dangerous ice storm.
The film explores themes of greed, deception, and unexpected alliances against the backdrop of a cold and unforgiving winter night.
5. Lethal Weapon (1987)
“Lethal Weapon” brings a dose of action and camaraderie to the Christmas season in Los Angeles. Against the twinkling lights and festive atmosphere, detectives Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) form an unlikely partnership as they investigate a drug-smuggling operation.
The juxtaposition of holiday cheer and high-octane action creates a memorable backdrop for the bond that develops between Riggs and Murtaugh.
As the pair navigate the dangerous criminal underworld, the spirit of Christmas becomes a symbol of hope and redemption in this classic buddy cop film with a festive twist.
4. Batman Returns (1992)
Gotham City is draped in holiday decorations, but the festive atmosphere takes a dark turn in “Batman Returns.” Set against the backdrop of Christmas, the city faces a new threat in the form of the enigmatic Penguin (Danny DeVito) and the seductive Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer). As Batman (Michael Keaton) tries to restore order, the film explores themes of redemption and identity amidst the snowy streets and glittering Christmas lights.
Directed by Tim Burton, he had to fight with Warner Bros for creative control and his victory shines through. Burton mixes holiday cheer and the brooding underworld of Gotham to create a visually stunning and thematically rich experience.
3. Reindeer Games (2000)
“Reindeer Games” is a crime thriller that revolves around a recently paroled ex-convict, Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck), who becomes entangled in a dangerous casino heist over the Christmas holidays. Forced to impersonate his deceased cellmate, Rudy finds himself in a web of deception and danger, where loyalties are uncertain, and unexpected alliances form.
The film weaves together elements of action and suspense, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats as Rudy navigates a perilous game with high stakes.
Related: Take the Holiday Movie Quote Quiz
2. Home Alone (1990)
“Home Alone” is a beloved family comedy about eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), accidentally left behind when his family goes on vacation for Christmas. Initially reveling in his newfound freedom, Kevin soon has to defend his home from two bumbling burglars, Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern). Using creative and hilarious booby traps, Kevin turns the tables on the would-be intruders.
The film combines slapstick humor with heartwarming moments as Kevin learns the importance of family.
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1. Die Hard (1988)
Many will argue that “Die Hard” is not only the best Christmas action film but the best Christmas film period. It’s set on Christmas Eve, when NYPD detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) arrives in Los Angeles, in hopes of reconciling with his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia).
However, McClane arrives at the towering LA office building where his wife’s Christmas Party is interrupted by armed terrorists who are led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). It’s not all bullets and battles, this is also a story of heart, self-sacrifice, and reuniting family.
Related: Take the Holiday Movie Quote Quiz