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Gotta Catch Santa Claus

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 6.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Upbeat holiday package without much in the box.

Themes in this movie include:   dating/crushes, gender issues

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    A mix of messages. The primary one is that science isn't always right and magic has an important place in childhood. Also, bullies are sometimes just people with problems -- in this case, the ice monster felt neglected by Santa and lashed out at him. But less positive are the confusing messages about junk food (Santa eats tons of donuts and hides his indulgences from his wife), women (Mrs. Claus is skinny, busty, and wears skin-tight clothes while cavorting provocatively), and friendship (Trevor locks his friend in a shed when she tries to get in his way).

  • Role models:

    Trevor is determined to prove his point. But he lies, mildly, to his parents in the process without repercussion. Santa shows generosity even to his enemies. The twin friends are nerdy stereotypes, but adorable, and their smarts are played up rather than made fun of.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    The main villain is an ice monster with a menacing appearance. He shoots snow out of his hands, roars angrily, and threatens Santa and kids. But he doesn't hurt anyone, or destroy much, and in the end he turns out to be a sweet guy.

  • Sexy stuff:

    Very mild flirting between tween boy and girl. She kisses him on the cheek in the end. Parents snuggle.

  • Language:

    A few insults directed mostly at bad guys, like "ugly" and "pathetic."
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Gotta Catch Santa Claus

Parents need to know that this CGI-animated movie ponders the existence of Santa Claus. The bad guys are an ice monster and his three evil snowmen sidekicks, and these characters, while silly and relatively harmless, threaten Santa Claus and make a lot of noise in the process. The youngest viewers might get upset by this. Also, the main characters -- a tween boy and girl -- have a mildly romantic relationship that results in a kiss on the cheek.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about science versus magic. What are some things that you believe in even though you can't prove their existence? Is science ever wrong? When can science be really useful, and when is it not?
  • Talk about myths. What are some myths or legends in our culture? Are there any legends in your family or school? What is the value of myth in our world?
  • Talk about junk food. Santa eats a lot of donuts in this movie, and he struggles with physical activity sometimes. What is the movie saying about eating donuts and other junk food? Why does Mrs. Claus not want Santa to eat so many donuts? Why is Santa still eating donuts even though his wife and friends don't want him to?
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