Movie Reviews

[Fantasia ’25’] ‘Holy Night: Demon Hunters’: A hell of a punch

A fight against evil.

August 3, 2025

Holy Night: Demon Hunter from South Korea is an action packed exorcist screening at Fantasia. An order of Satan worshippers have become more emboldened, leading to more kidnappings and death around the city. Holy Night is a trio of exorcists who use ancient rituals to deal with the demons. And when that does not work, they can always punch the monsters square in the face.

Don Lee (Train to Busan) is a throwback action movie star. He would fit perfectly into the testosterone laden 1980s Hollywood landscape. He is overflowing with charisma and absolutely commands the screen. The protagonists of Holy Night are a fun bunch, but Lee’s Bow is the highlight. From excellent moments of dry humor to him punching through walls, he shows off what makes him one of the most bankable action stars in the world.

Holy Night is told in two first parts. The front half is getting to know the characters and what their latest case is. Bow is troubled by a traumatic experience from his past, his partner Sharon (Seohyun from the legendary K-pop group Girl’s Generation) is a powerful medium, and her brother Kim (Squid Game 2) serves as backup to them both. Their latest case has them trying to save a woman who seems to have been possessed by a powerful force.

holy night

Things move at a rapid pace. The fast paced action scenes never wear out their welcome. Instead of carelessly moving from one battle to the next, Holy Night wisely spaces them out. The exposition in between these moments does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters and their motivations.

The entire third act of Holy Night is the multi part exorcism being conducted. Much like dealing with grief, it is broken into six distinct stages. This leads to some of the film’s most exciting parts including a great fight scene in a hallway and the expected trickery from the demon.

It all culminates in one of the best endings of 2025. The battle with the hellspawn is a tough one with the expected twists and turns. It is familiar without being derivative. The lead up to the final scene will leave audiences wondering what the hell is going to happen next leading to an amazing finale.