The Christmas Chronicles

Name: The Christmas Chronicles
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Animation, Family
Released: November 22, 2018
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 52
Cast: Abel Tekeste, Darby Camp, David Kohlsmith, Elena Khan, Jack Bona

2018

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Mixed or average reviews based on 10 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Ratings

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The Christmas Chronicles

Movie Details & Credits

TV-PG

Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): November 22, 2018

Starring: Abel Tekeste, Darby Camp, David Kohlsmith, Elena Khan, Jack Bona, Jeff Teravainen, Jeremy Raymond, Jesse Gervasi, Jonathan Kim, Judah Lewis, Kaitlyn Airdrie, Kayla Lakhani, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kurt Russell, Lamorne Morris, Lauren Collins, Martin Roach, Oliver Hudson, Paskal Vaklev

Summary: The Christmas Chronicles tells the story of sister and brother, Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis), whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus (Kurt Russell) on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about. After staking out Santa’s arrival, they sneak into his sleigh, cause it to crash andThe Christmas Chronicles tells the story of sister and brother, Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis), whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus (Kurt Russell) on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about. After staking out Santa’s arrival, they sneak into his sleigh, cause it to crash and nearly derail Christmas. As their wild night unfolds, Kate and Teddy work together with Santa - as you've never seen him before - and his loyal Elves to save Christmas before it's too late.… Expand

Director: Clay Kaytis

Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Animation, Family

Rating: TV-PG

Runtime: 104 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Critic Reviews

Entertainment Weekly - Dana Schwartz

Nov 20, 2018

What kind of Grinch would I be to berate a new cheesy holiday movie about two siblings going on a Christmas-related adventure in which, I repeat, Kurt Russell plays a hot Santa? Make some cocoa for the family, and spike yours if you have to, but remember what the holiday is about: watching mediocre, predictable movies with the people you love. Read full review

Los Angeles Times - Gary Goldstein

Nov 20, 2018

Russell, he of the shaggy mane and those twinkly, crinkly eyes, digs into the classic role with a sleighful of energy, humor and gusto, deftly making the character his own with guidance from Matt Lieberman’s inventive, myth-bending script. His performance is a gas. Read full review

The Telegraph - Robbie Collin

Nov 21, 2018

The whole thing is out-and-out tinsel-dunked tat, but oddly honourable with it – the Christmas spirit might be just a few steps up from bathtub grade, but it still packs a kick. Read full review

Slant Magazine - Derek Smith

Nov 16, 2018

The film Despite its weird flourishes, the film succumbs to the tropes and emotional contrivances of the family melodrama at its core. Read full review

Consequence of Sound - Clint Worthington

Nov 19, 2018

The Christmas Chronicles is a passable enough lark, and may well be on the upper end of the spectrum when it comes to modern cinematic Christmas fare. Read full review

RogerEbert.com - Nell Minow

Nov 21, 2018

The Christmas Chronicles keeps getting in its own way with a patched-together story, raggedy tone, thinly imagined characters, and weak humor (Santa explains that he doesn’t really say, “Ho Ho Ho” — that’s fake news). Read full review

The Guardian - Stephen Snart

Nov 21, 2018

Between the atrocious green-screen work, the blatant stock footage helicopter shots of city skylines and painfully obvious Toronto-for-America locations, you would be forgiven for thinking this movie was made in 1992. Read full review

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User Reviews

RichardBraxton

Nov 25, 2018

This movie is a must see! It put me in the Christmas spirit immediately and captured my imagination and sense of wonder like no recent Christmas movie has. Grab the popcorn and eggnog, sit back if you can, and enjoy a great movie the whole family will enjoy. Bring on the holiday cheer!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Dharmadreams

Dec 29, 2018

What the heck happen to Rubolph !!! Great family movie ! Dig the band!! Will watch it again

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MacPhly

Nov 23, 2018

I’m a huge Christmas-movie-buff! I mean I have this whole list of movies I have to go through before it feels like Christmas! -sidenote/ I can’t stand the Hallmark Christmas movies!

Most of the movies on my list, like 99%, are pre ’00. The movies after 2000 simply doesn’t do it for me! AndI’m a huge Christmas-movie-buff! I mean I have this whole list of movies I have to go through before it feels like Christmas! -sidenote/ I can’t stand the Hallmark Christmas movies!

Most of the movies on my list, like 99%, are pre ’00. The movies after 2000 simply doesn’t do it for me! And for a long time I have dreaded that no more movies would be added to my list because the movies all ready on it was connected with my childhood Christmases, and therefore new movies, no matter how good they would have been, would have a chance!

But last night I decided to give “The Christmas Chronicles” from Netlfix a chance. The trailers and featurettes didn’t really do it for me, so my expectations were very low…

I must be honest… I loved the movie before the intro was over! It gave me that sorely missed nostalgia fix when you went thru the old VHS recordings of the family’s Christmas pasts.

The movie actually had a lot of “The Santa Clause” vibes! The delinquent youth (Teddy) reminded me of “Charlie” in the second Clause movie and the “true believer” in Kate was as lovely and goodhearted as Lucy in the third Clause movie. Some would say that it was a copy of the characters and therefor would be a bad thing, but for me it meant that those 2 characters gave me a feeling of recognition and (again) that all important nostalgia from when I saw the Clause movies as a child.

So yeah, the kids “did it” for me. But what about the all-important Santa? Can Kurt Russell actually portray that big hearted/bellied, fuzzy and all loving Santa? It turns out he can’t… But this is in no way meant as a bad thing, because Russell made Santa into a goodhearted, weight conscious, sneaky cool cat! I mean… he sings the blues in Jail with some prostitutes and other criminals who magically gets musical talents and instruments. Russell manages to give the Santa character a lot of edge (escaping the law, dunking presents, lying to kids, heckling the portrayal of Santa on billboards and soda cans) but also still keeps that Santa “feeling”. It’s definitely my favorite “Santa” of all the movie Santa’s out there!

In the end I even started liking the Elf’s. At first it annoyed me that they where portrayed as these small hairy things. But as the movie progressed, I started loving them like the little minions they are(seriously.. one of the Elf’s almost cut the balls of Teddy with a chainsaw! Such a minion thing to do)! Even their language sounded like when minions talk mixed with some Nordic/Scandinavian terms and names. And coming from Denmark that’s always a good thing … Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Davrosdaleks1

Dec 13, 2018

Found this to be an enjoyable little Christmas film.

Kurt Russell is Santa Claus and it's everything you'd expect him to be. He manages to maintain his charm and swagger while keeping the basic core of Santa intact. The film has a Home Alone-esque 90's feel to it with that right balance ofFound this to be an enjoyable little Christmas film.

Kurt Russell is Santa Claus and it's everything you'd expect him to be. He manages to maintain his charm and swagger while keeping the basic core of Santa intact.

The film has a Home Alone-esque 90's feel to it with that right balance of heart and humor and like the films of that era surprising moments of darkness and pushing the edge a little while maintaining a PG rating.

Be forewarned that the movie mostly runs on the cast and presentation. The plot is full of Christmas tropes and you can pretty much predict everything.

Also, this is a modestly budgeted film. (I'm guessing that most of the money went toward Russell,) The sets and computer effects just look okay.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ozymandias79

Nov 28, 2018

Some of the acting was sketchy at the beginning, but that changed when Kurt Russell showed up. He basically carries the movie, and when the gremlin-like elves made their appearance, I was sold. I'd watch an entire movie just about the elves. Also, the CGI is really good, like next levelSome of the acting was sketchy at the beginning, but that changed when Kurt Russell showed up. He basically carries the movie, and when the gremlin-like elves made their appearance, I was sold. I'd watch an entire movie just about the elves. Also, the CGI is really good, like next level good. As a Christmas movie, you have to expect some cheese with that wine, but overall its a pretty good watch.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

heinyreimes

Dec 14, 2018

This was a nice surprise! The children wanted to see it and I was expecting to be bored out of my skull with another low quality family movie.

But even though the story is simple, the visuals, the sound and the cast do a really nice job and since it says 'chronicles' I look forward seeing more.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Jim222001

Jan 30, 2019

I never realized I needed Kurt Russell as Santa until now. Well first you have to enjoy Kurt Russell just being Kurt Russell. If you found him entertaining in anything like I have. You will like this movie.
It’s magical but flawed when there’s a scene where the sleigh is in the middle of theI never realized I needed Kurt Russell as Santa until now. Well first you have to enjoy Kurt Russell just being Kurt Russell. If you found him entertaining in anything like I have. You will like this movie.
It’s magical but flawed when there’s a scene where the sleigh is in the middle of the street during daylight. Yet no one even notices.
It’s also cliche that Santa is arrested and of course gets everyone in jail to sing. I also saw that in Ernest Saves Christmas and probably many others.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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