Arthur Christmas (Sony)
Rated PG for some mild rude humor.
Starring (voices of) James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen, Marc Wootton, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Ramona Marquez, Michael Palin, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Robbie Coltrane, Joan Cusack, Rhys Darby.
Written by Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith.
Directed by Sarah Smith.
GRADE: B+
REVIEW:
Even Santa's family get stressed around the holidays. That's the idea behind Arthur Christmas, the story of how Santa's family overcomes their differences to help save Christmas for one girl who almost gets passed over.
Arthur (James McAvoy) is the youngest of Santa's family, and keeps the spirit of the holiday alive by responding to all the letters from kids around the world. His older brother Steve (Hugh Laurie) commands the armies of elves who deliver all of Santa's gifts to the kids of the world with military-like precision, while using a state-of-the art gigantic hovercraft "sleigh." Santa (Jim Broadbent), getting older, is really a figurehead who makes a few token deliveries, while Steve and the elves do most of the work. Steve expects that this Christmas will be his dad's last, so he will be able to take his place among the other Santas in the family tree (Santas live a ling time, but eventually pass the CHristmas torch to their offspring).
When it's discovered that one little British girl has been missed, Steve brushes it off, while Santa's retired dad Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) sees the flub as his opportunity to show up Steve by using his old school sleigh and reindeer. Arthur, while troubled that a little girl's faith and Christmas might be ruined, tags along despite his fear of flying. A spirited wrapping elf named Bryony (Ashley Johnson) also joins the mission.
As Grandsanta and Arthur schlep across the world trying to locate the sweet Gwen (Ramona Marquez), Steve, his mom (Imelda Staunton) and his dad try to help out while rediscovering what Christmas is all about.
Arthur Christmas is a very good movie with a sweet message about the holiday, and what it means to be a family.
Kids will love the humor and excitement of Arthur's quest to save one little girl's holiday, while adults will get a kind reminder of how their own petty differences mean so little to the littlest ones.
Even though the movie drags on a little in the middle, Arthur Christmas should take its place as another great holiday classic that should be enjoyed by many for years to come.
