Arthur Christmas
Directed by Sarah Smith
- drama
- animation
- family
- comedy
The story
For hundreds of years, the Claus family has delegated the title "Santa" to a chosen few of its members, which can be passed down upon retirement. Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in a one-night high-tech operation. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one—Arthur Claus, the current Santa’s misfit son deemed ineligible for the title, who executes an unauthorised rookie mission to get the last present halfway around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.
What it’s like
Bright, busy and warmly lit, with the North Pole rendered as gleaming white-and-red mission control: glossy CGI surfaces, polished brass and steel, cosy wood-panelled rooms glowing amber against the snow outside. The camera moves with a restless, swooping energy, sweeping through crowded hangars and sleigh rides at breakneck speed, then settling into quieter close framing for the family scenes around a fireside table. The score is full and orchestral, dotted with sleigh-bell jingles and bright festive strings, and the sound design is crisp, with clattering machinery and whooshing flight. The overall vibe is cheerful, witty and bustling, a comfort-watch with a sharp satirical edge toward corporate efficiency. It suits a family evening in December, a long-haul flight, or a playful afternoon with children. Its emotional register is affectionate rather than sentimental, following a clumsy, earnest young man who finds his place among relatives who have underestimated him. Gentle comedy, slapstick and one or two tense moments of peril; no real violence, no gore, and nothing frightening beyond brief action. It is for people who want holiday warmth with genuine laughs and a gentle, big-hearted ending.
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