If Santa Claus is real, then people shouldn't be surprised if things don't make sense, right? Well, even the various TV series with witches or super powers have rules. It bothered me for certain things not to make sense that should have, but really, the problems with this movie shouldn't take away from the entertainment value. I'll focus on the positives.
It's a fun story if you just accept that it all makes sense.
Ed Asner makes a good Santa Claus. Not the best, but a good one. When he is tired, he is quite convincing. It's obvious Asner is old, but in the scenes where he isn't tired, let's say he's still got it.
I'm not familiar with any of the other actors. Samuel Portugal stands out as an elf who has somehow gotten separated from the North Pole. Carole Stoller is great as Carol, Mrs. Claus.
Elaine Partnow is good as the grandmother who somehow doesn't want to leave the far north. Yves Bright mostly makes a good father, and Chase Pollock has the right amount of attitude as a young skeptical teen. Lexi Golden is adorable and spunky as the little girl who believes, and she shows talent in many of her scenes, though sometimes she's more like a real little girl than an actress.
Carrie Schroeder is entirely too serious for the most part, which is appropriate, but she shows a loving side.
If you like dogs (I don't) then I suppose the scene at the animal shelter is cute. Lots of dogs wanting to be adopted. And one in particular has this face that I assume makes people like him. I wouldn't know. He seems lovable, I guess.
The scenery up north is great. The workshop and elf costumes are quite colorful. "Elfis" is funny. The elves who talk apparently are on helium.
And there is an environmental message. Remember, the Arctic ice is melting.
Some of the songs are good. Dolly Parton has one song which some people will like. I can't say it's my taste, but you have to like Dolly. However, the first two songs and the one with the closing credits are terrible in my opinion. Christmas music just should not sound like that, and lyrics about Christmas just won't get it done.
Definitely a movie for the whole family, with a TV-G rating. There is one convincingly scary scene. Suzie screams really well. But you know it will turn out all right, so that's fine. There is also a description of a terrible event but it doesn't bother Suzie.
Now I just have to mention the negatives. Who casually drives across the frozen north in a car that isn't quite dependable? Towns aren't that close together so if you get stranded, you're in real trouble. But this doesn't matter to the script writers, and I guess if you have to have the events that take place, you have to take liberties.
Nathan has a beard and a mustache one minute, and just five o'clock shadow the next. Okay, this may be believable. Maybe he doesn't want to be clean shaven. And that trip across the north? It is dark one minute, the sun is out the next, and then it is dark again. Well, we are near the North Pole. Oh, and somehow the westernmost point in Alaska is also the northernmost. If you know Alaska geography, you know that's not true. Also, even if the car supposedly has heat, why is Suzie in short sleeves? And isn't a lot colder than it seemed in the Yukon and that part of Alaska at Christmas? I won't even ask why if you finally find out the North Pole is in the ocean, why are you still driving?
All of this seems minor when it is a fun story. It's supposed to be silly, and it is that, and meaningful at times too.
