A decade after the release of his last Hollywood-directed film, Paycheck (2003), director John Woo returns with an action thriller Silent Night (2023). Regarded as one of the best action genre directors of all time, John Woo‘s Silent Night has lots of action-packed sequences for true action genre audiences. Released on December 1, 2023, Silent Night (2023) is a story of vengeance and revenge of a grieving father whose son was killed in a gang rivalry shootout.
One of the highlights of Silent Night (2023) is that it has no spoken dialogue. Except for radio chatter and background noises, the 104-minute action thriller has no dialogue. John Woo, at his best, audiences get to watch the director unleash his fast-paced gunfights and hand-to-hand combats. Part of the thrill of Silent Night (2023) is the use of a lesser-known cast. These are the top cast of the 2023 Silent Night movie and the characters they play.
Joel Kinnaman as Brian Godlock
Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman plays Silent Night‘s main protagonist, Brian Godlock. Set in Las Palomas, California, Brian Godlock is introduced as a loving family man who cares for his little family. However, on Christmas Eve of 2021, while riding a new bicycle on his front lawn with his son, his whole world changed. Not only does he lose his son from a stray bullet during a gang shootout, but Brian, too, is hospitalized after being shot in the neck. Unable to ever speak as a result of the damage to his vocal cords, Brian spends the next year plotting his revenge on the gang and its leader.
Besides his credits in Swedish films, Joel Kinnaman also has an impressive resúmé in Hollywood. He starred in notable films like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), played Alex Murphy/RoboCop in the 2014 RoboCop, and Rick Flag in Suicide Squad (2016) and The Suicide Squad (2021). On the small screen, Kinnaman has appeared in notable roles in The Killing (2011–2014), House of Cards (2016–2017), Altered Carbon (2018–2020), and For All Mankind.
Scott Mescudi as Detective Dennis Vassel
One recognizable face in Silent Night (2023) is American rapper Scott Mescudi, known with the stage name Kid Cudi. He plays a supporting role as Detective Dennis Vassel. Detective Vassel was attached to the murder case of Brian Godlock’s son. However, when Brian shows up a year later to hunt down the gang members involved in the death of his son, Detective Vassel is torn between upholding the law and letting true justice take its course. This is the two-time Grammy Award winner’s first appearance in film. Kid Cudi, who made his feature film debut in Need for Speed (2014), has starred in several other feature-length movies.
Harold Torres as Playa
Mexican actor Harold Torres is Silent Night‘s main villain. Torres plays Playa, the leader of one of the shooting gangs who inadvertently kills Brian Godlock’s son. Plays becomes a person of interest after shooting Brian in the neck to stop him from catching up with one of his gang members. Although Brian hunts down members of Playa’s gang, Playa is at the center of his revenge. Most of Harold Torres’ acting credits are in Mexican/Spanish films. However, he starred alongside Liam Neeson and Guy Pearce, playing Hugo Marquez in Martin Campbell‘s 2022 action thriller Memory.
Catalina Sandino Moreno as Saya Godlock
Colombian actress Catalina Sandino Moreno plays Saya Godlock, the wife of Brian Godlock. Like Brian, Says is devastated by the death of their son from the shootout. However, she stays supportive of Brian throughout his recovery after being shot in the neck. With Brian’s unrelenting quest for revenge, Saya is at the receiving end of it all as he turns cold towards her and focuses on avenging their son. Unsurprisingly, this leads to their separation. Catalina Sandino Moreno, who made her on-screen debut in 2004, received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her debut performance as María Álvarez in the Spanish drama Maria Full of Grace (2004). After Silent Night (2023), Catalina Sandino Moreno will star in the first spin-off of the John Wick franchise, Ballerina (2024).
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