Review of The Christmas Chronicles (2018) by Thequietgamer — 16 Dec 2018

A trite dramatic angle of two siblings struggling with the loss of their father aside, this might be the freshest family yuletide yarn since Arthur Christmas. Kurt Russell plays a mischievous version of Saint Nick that brings his own magical twists to Santa's established arsenal of toy delivering tools. The two likable young leads allow for some genuine emotion to come from the film's more sentimental material.

The primary focus is on the ridiculous hijinks the characters get involved in on their quest to save the holiday they inadvertently put at risk in the first place. It's rambunctious energy leads to a lot of things you wouldn't expect to see in a Christmas movie. Like a car chase, a battle between elves and a gang of thugs, and Santa turning the jailhouse into a rock concert. It's delightful, funny, warm, and charming. My rating might be a little inflated because of how much of a sucker I am for mischief, but I think this is solid escapism regardless.

A fun bit of Christmas cheer with plenty of magic, style, and heart. And darn it if Russell isn't having fun. He may be a snarkier, hotter, and thinner the Santa than we're typically used to, but he still manages to have the same goodwill and lovability. It's got everything you could want from a holiday movie along with a whole bunch of the unexpected.