Arthur Christmas
- Starring: James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class), Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge), Hugh Laurie (House, M.D.)
- Directed by: Sarah Smith
- Synopsis: Arthur Christmas at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child’s question: “So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?” The answer: Santa’s exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.
- Trailer:
Arthur Christmas, the animated yuletide adventure, gives a new (and rather updated) spin on holiday movies. Full of fun, smiles, and laughter, it is a fun animated feature worth enjoying, yet don’t expect it to be on anyone’s “Must-See-Classic-Christmas-Movie” list in years to come!
We’ve seen the behind-the-scenes Santa operations in films before (The Santa Clause, etc), and this one is a ton of fun to see! Arthur Christmas starts off with a bang and plenty of excitement watching the masterful elves under the pressure of the timeclock in a super-spy manner! (They, by far, are the best part of this entire movie…much like the minions of Despicable Me).
While the elves and the whole gift operation is amazing and fun, the film tends to drag us through familial disputes, Arthur’s somewhat annoying antics, and drawn out plot stereotypes heading to an already highly predictable ending that hoped to be more heartwarming than it actually was. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still fun, but it is more style than substance…a lot like cotton candy! Only the movie won’t leave you with a pressing need to visit your local dentist.
A few questions I have for those that go to see this film:
- Where in the world was Rudolph?
- How amazing was the S1 super sleigh? I already put in my order for one! 😀
- What was up with the ridiculous Justin Bieber music video “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” before the film? (I unfortunately left my earmuffs in the car.)

Okay, that’s all for now! Enjoy it while it is in theaters. 3D seems to not be all that necessary for this one! Watch it, though. It will put you in the mood for real holiday classics!
Thanks for reading!
Enjoy if you wish…or don’t enjoy! Happy Watching!
–TheSp1der’s Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars for “Arthur Christmas” (the kids will LOVE it!)
up next: “Trailer Time Thursday!”
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite holiday season movie HERE!
Fine review. Thanks for the heads up.
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thank you! Hope you are able to enjoy it!
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enjoyed your Bieber comment. =) Yeah I think this one is lacking in the “being memorable movie”. For instance…. Tim Allen’s Santa Clause movie…. very memorable. I hope I have the title of the movie right…. :/. Thanks dude.
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spot on my friend!!
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This does not seem like my type, but i’ll probably go see it anyway lol. I love the Biebs though!!! 😉
Nice work!
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haha. When Bieber came on, i was thinking “What?!!” smh! hahaha
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Good review. But I don’t really have any intentions on actually checking this out for some odd reason.
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Thanks Dan! I was wondering if you had as I looked through your reviews!
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This looks pretty cute but I probably will rent this one at some point.
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I’m surprised you weren’t more enthusiastic seeing as it’s your boy James McAvoy! 🙂
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Wasn’t thrilled by the trailer but it seems like it’s getting pretty decent reviews across the board. I might give it a rental a year from now 😉
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its a fun animated flick. I’m sure rentals next year will be high!
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Why do you call your reviews Mini matey? they are perfect in length. I dislike having to wade through very long reviews. You have it right. I was told long ago by a film journo to do reviews at 300-500 words. MAX. People get bored otherwise.
Anyway Arthur Christmas looks like a film I need to take my girls to. i reckon they may give it a 4/5 if not a 5
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you bring up a good point Scott! thanks for that!
I thought you and the girls already went to see it! Well, I look forward to their review! 🙂
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Good review, T! Even with the average score I still really want to see this. We were shown clips at Big Screen over the summer and I really wanted to see it back then! I think I’ll just watch it in 2D, though.
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Thanks Claire! I hope that you enjoy it. I will keep a look for your review! Any movie viewing plans for your weekend?
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