Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fast-paced, funny holiday movie about the Christmas spirit.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Arthur Christmas
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 52 parent reviews
Based on 32 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a mixed bag, with some enjoying its humor and heartwarming message about Christmas spirit, while others find it boring or mildly offensive due to its portrayal of characters and traditional Christmas elements. Many families appreciated the film for its fun and family-friendly themes, though it may not appeal to all age groups, particularly older kids who might find it dragging.
- family fun
- humor
- mixed reviews
- character portrayal
- age-appropriate
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, Santa (voiced by Jim Broadbent) is executing a state-of-the-art gift drop around the world, with his son/heir apparent, Steve (Hugh Laurie), leading elves on a stealth house-to-house mission. As Christmas Eve draws to a close, Santa returns to the North Pole on his spacecraft thinking it's "Mission Accomplished." But when the cleaning elves discover an undelivered gift, kindly younger son Arthur (James McAvoy) joins a covert rescue mission with his Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) and gift-wrapping elf Bryony (Ashley Jensen) to show that every child matters at Christmas.
Is It Any Good?
This is one of those family movies that's equally entertaining for adults and children. Aardman -- the English studio responsible for Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, and Flushed Away -- returns to the big screen with another winning animated comedy in Arthur Christmas that combines brilliant visuals, a well-developed story, and clever humor that's mature in places and risks being taken at face value by younger children but shows a sophistication adults will enjoy. McAvoy is adorable as the voice of Arthur, who's so genuinely kind and caught up in his father's magical gift-giving that he's willing to risk everything to make sure one little girl doesn't wake up Christmas morning and think Santa doesn't care about her.
The relationship between Arthur and his Grandsanta is hilarious. Arthur is earnest, compassionate, and full of hope, while Grandsanta is snarky and set in his ways -- bitter because his son and grandson no longer think he's capable. As the two Christmas men and their stowaway elf trek around the globe with a decreasing number of able-bodied reindeer, viewers realize that the trip itself is a gift for each member of the wacky trio. All three learn something about themselves and find the spirit of Christmas within to carry out their seemingly doomed adventure. Like the characters, it's likely many viewers could do with a reminder about the importance of family and selflessness each holiday season.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Arthur Christmas fits into the genre of holiday movies. How is this story different from other Santa-based movies?
What are the movie's messages about family and the holidays? What do the characters learn over the course of the movie?
Some of the movie's jokes are aimed directly at adults; do you think too much of the humor is "grown up," or will kids enjoy it, too? Why do you think filmmakers might include jokes that will go over kids' head in movies that are made for them?
Some of the things characters say in the film are sexist. Do you think the movie does enough to make it clear what its stance is on these? Does it do enough to debunk sexist opinions? Discuss with your children how you understood some of the references.
Arthur displays integrity, perseverance, and compassion. Why are these important character strengths? Can you think of times in your life when you've shown any of these qualities?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 23, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : November 6, 2012
- Cast : Bill Nighy , Hugh Laurie , James McAvoy
- Director : Sarah Smith
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Animation
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Holidays
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Integrity , Perseverance
- Run time : 97 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild rude humor
- Last updated : December 26, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate