Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 10+
An exciting, exciting adventure of Santa Claus has unpleasant behavior, danger.
Not present
Videos and photos
Based on 71 parent reviews
What is the story?
THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES tells the story of how siblings Teddy (Judah Lewis) and Kate (Darby Camp) sneak onto Santa’s (Kurt Russell) sleigh on Christmas Eve, causing the sleigh to crash and Santa losing his magic hat and sack full of toys. Oh, and to top it all off, the reindeer are also MIA. If Santa doesn’t deliver Christmas on time, the world will descend into another dark age of violence and chaos. So the three set out to make things right by recovering lost items and asking Santa’s elves to help fix the sleigh. Along the way, Teddy steals a car (well, he really borrows a stolen car), Santa gets thrown in jail, and Kate finds herself alone in Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. Can these three work together to save Christmas?
Is it good?
This Christmas adventure has plenty of kid appeal and excitement in the quest to save Christmas, but the awkward behavior as well as dealing with the loss of a parent make it best for teens and older. The Christmas Chronicles features Hollywood veteran Kurt Russell as a gruff Santa Claus who doesn’t go “ho, ho, ho!” and who doesn’t like to be portrayed as fat. But viewers old enough to deal with the obscure messages, language and themes of grief will enjoy watching Kate and Teddy win it over. Director Clay Kaytis puts his CGI animation experience to good use, especially with the elves. They have a distinct look and sometimes almost gremlin edge that might be a bit scary for small children, and some of the scenes feel like a marketing ploy designed to get kids to pick them all up. But teenagers and the elderly can appreciate them as refreshingly different from the usual visions.
It’s easy to imagine producer Chris Columbus influencing the inventive imagining of Santa’s workshop and how to get there. A prison rock ‘n’ roll number seems pointless and ineffective as a way to spread Christmas spirit, but you could argue that such a rock number makes sense for something coming out of a prison cell. Parents and grandparents can enjoy looking for familiar faces in the band, as well as an inside joke actress in a cameo as Mrs. Claus. It may not be an instant classic that the whole family can enjoy, but teens and older will enjoy the excitement and adventure, with a happy ending that rounds things off nicely.
Talk to your kids about…
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Families can discuss holiday messages The Christmas Chronicles. What is the most important part of any holiday? Is that what you get or something else?
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Many people feel sad during the holidays because they miss loved ones who have passed away. If you’ve lost a loved one, what things help you feel better?
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Is it okay to do something naughty or illegal if it’s for a good cause? Why or why not? How do you know?
Did we miss something about diversity?
Research shows a connection between children’s healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in the media. That’s why we’ve added a new “Different Representations” section to our reviews that will be published on an ongoing basis. You can help us help children