Snow 2: Brain Freeze (NR)

common sense media says

Sweet holiday sequel is as family-friendly as the original.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this sequel to Snow is as family-friendly as the original movie -- and slightly less bland to boot. A former big game hunter plays the meanie. Santa is depicted not only as real but all too human, and his zany antics and pratfalls will keep kids laughing. For the adult audience, the romance between Santa and Mrs. Claus is surprisingly sweet. There's no depiction of the holiday's religious aspects.

Positive messages: Repeated messages about the importance of faith, belief, and trust during the holidays, and an obvious example of a greedy character being thwarted. One character is locked in a closet for a few hours by family members. A street urchin relies on pickpocketing to survive.
Violence & scariness: An intimidating nurse bears a scary needle. Cartoonish threats by a reindeer named Buddy. Slapstick falls, etc.
Sexy stuff: A married couple kisses.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Two adult characters are shown drinking away their sorrows in a bar.

More on Snow 2: Brain Freeze

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about Nick's amnesia and the threat it poses to Christmas. If Santa really got amnesia, would Christmas still happen? What are the things in your family's holiday celebration that make the holiday meaningful, independent of the man in the red suit? Families can also discuss the way that movies and TV shows generally portray Christmas and Santa. How is this one similar or different?

What's the story?

What's the story?

SNOW 2: BRAIN FREEZE finds rookie Santa Claus Nick (Tom Cavanagh) and his bride, Sandy (Ashley Williams), settled into married life at the North Pole. But after a minor argument, Nick flees to the city via his magic mirror -- and ends up getting amnesia after sustaining a nasty bump on the head. Sandy has to find Nick and help him recover his memory in time to save Christmas, but she's warned that telling him the truth won't work; Nick has to believe he's Santa for the Christmas magic to work. Meanwhile, Nick's nemesis/romantic rival, Buck (Patrick Fabian), has figured out how to travel to the North Pole, and his greed threatens to ruin the holiday for everyone.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

The main reason Snow 2 works is because Cavanagh and Williams have an undeniable chemistry; even more than in the first movie, Williams' goofiness and appealing charm make her seem like the perfect match to hapless Nick. It's a treat to watch Sandy find and guide Nick to the inevitable conclusion while simultaneously holding back from telling him who she is -- and to see Nick fall under her spell even more convincingly the second time around.

Lest it all sound too adult, rest assured that their chaste romance is accompanied by non-stop pratfalls and lots of reindeer humor. Buck is easy to dislike but not too threatening for young viewers. The saccharine-sweet ending and the fact that, in this movie, Christmas magic can even bring back the dead for a quick social visit, can be forgiven in light of the film's overall charm . And fans will be happy to know that the door is left wide open for Snow 3.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: ABC Family
Director: Mark Rosman
Cast: Ashley Williams, Patrick Fabian, Tom Cavanagh
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 86 minutes
DVD release: October 12, 2009
MPAA Rating: NR

This review was written by Nancy Davis Kho
 
 

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erinmort
parent of 4 year old
 
good famliy movie
really cute movie. daughter loved it and i can actually tolerate watching it multiple times.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
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