Review: Uninspired 'The Christmas Chronicles 2' spreads little holiday cheer
Courtesy of Netflix
The yuletide season is upon us and sexy Santa is back in “The Christmas Chronicles 2” a harmless but unnecessary follow-up to Netflix’s 2018 hit. If you remember from the predecessor, we met Goldie Hawn’s Mrs. Claus in what seemed like a nod to her marriage with Kurt Russell who played Santa. Little did we know, director Chris Columbus was planting the seed for a potential franchise.
While “The Christmas Chronicles” had fun with its holiday pride and Russell hammed it up as a macho, good-looking Mr. Claus, its uninspired sequel lacks that magic touch. “Christmas Chronicles 2,” not surprisingly, is about Santa having to save Christmas again. This time from a disgruntled elf-turned-human named Belsnickel (Julian Dennison) who wants to take over the North Pole and lead Santa’s army of gibberish speaking, CGI, Minion-knockoff elves. He steals the village’s prized Christmas-tree star, which is infused with holy light from the Star of Bethlehem and sends St. Nick along with returning character Kate (Darby Camp) and her soon to be stepbrother, Jack (Jahzir Bruno from “The Witches”) back to Boston, 1990 where holiday spirit is so low, the reindeer - who are fueled by people believing in Christmas - can’t achieve lift off.
This sequence gives “The Christmas Chronicles 2” a dose of what happens in the real world (travelers angry their plans have been delayed etc.) However, it quickly detours into an awkward, out-of-the-blue, musical number that undercuts any positive traction the film was starting to muster. Young children are flooded with prime holiday content each year and though I can’t see “The Christmas Chronicles 2” ranking high on their favorites, it should provide a breezy Saturday morning distraction, yet running an overstuffed two hours, they could grow restless. Say what you want about Disney holiday flicks, at least they hoovered around the 90-minute marker.
Russell and Hawn – in their first movie together since 1987’s “Overboard” – make for a charming Mr. and Mrs. Claus despite the screenplay, penned by Matt Liberman and Columbus, giving them little to offer. Don’t worry, the elves get their jiggy on to Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out” and the film ends with a strange caroling séance where Tyrese Gibson sings in autotune. Sometimes the holiday season works in mysterious ways, but “The Christmas Chronicles 2” isn’t the gift that keeps on giving.
Grade: C-
THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES 2 is now playing in select theaters and debuts on Netflix November 25th
I am appalled and Completely disgusted that you are given money to give your opinion for others to read. But that is just My opinion... Do you see how a personal and negatively generated "opinion" feels now?? I am just So sick and tired of you Little media people sitting behind your laptops trying to "act" like you are justified or even honorable in your Complete and Cowardly Nonsense that you write. I bid you good day sir, and please don't respond to me or I will continue to make you look like the Fool that you, already, know that you are. 👍
I, or, the typing recognition that I am using misspelled "gibberish" in my last post... Please stop using your "little man syndrome" platform to write Complete "gibberish", Nate.
And I should, also, say that I am taking it easy on ya. This day and age, little men like yourself think that they have a platform to stand on, and to speak their Complete and utter Gibberush. I Know that I don't have to tell ya that you have an Extreme case of "Little man Syndrome". You go to sleep every night knowing that. 👍 That being said, I just won't stand for One more second for someone like yourself to use your "platform" to "try" to bring down a project that a man Much greater than yourself (Kurt Russell) is involved with. You know you are small... Work on it!! 👍
Could you, as a true minion, Ever even begin to comprehend what it would take to portray Santa Claus like Kurt Russell??... I think not. Keep trying, Nate, and don't give up. Santa Kurt is always hopeful for ya. 👍
I think and know that you, Nate, are the one lacking in the Chistmas Spirit. There could not be a more original and refreshing portrayal in regards to a Christmas movie.
Kurt Russell is The Man, as always. His portrayal of Santa Claus is Friggin Awesome, and I Know this because My family, as a father, and So many of my friends and My childhood family, as well, have said so.
Please don't just keep stting behind your laptop like a True minion writing Complete Gibberish. Kurt Russell (The Real Santa Claus) wouldn't want you to do so. 😊
You don't have to be on the naughty list forever... As Rob Schneider once said in The Waterboy... "You can d…