Parents' Guide to

Beethoven's Christmas Adventure

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Holiday canine hijinks, plus a few serious scenes.

Movie PG 2011 90 minutes
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 10+

Based on 4 parent reviews

MMOD21
MMOD21 Adult
December 16, 2021
age 10+

Careful

Another Christmas movie aimed at kids which very much starts out saying Santa isn’t real etc.
1 person found this helpful.
Jahil
Jahil Adult
November 17, 2018
age 8+

Dogs, death and there is no Santa

The movie is fine but some of the themes come out of no where. Early in the movie the ever-present “there is no Santa Claus” narrative smack younger kids in the face. That’s immediately followed a theme present in all too many Disney movies, the death of a parent (I know this isn’t a Disney movie). The resolution is predictable and everyone walks away happier and wiser for the experience.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

It's three days before Christmas. Henry (Kyle Massey), the elf assigned to the stable at the North Pole, has hurt feelings. He wants to be a toy-making elf like the rest of his friends. When he angrily rides off with the sleigh and Santa's magic toy bag, he crash lands in small town in Minnesota and he's in deep trouble. Two greedy toy store owners get their hands on the magic bag, and Henry realizes he's put the entire holiday in danger. No bag, no sleigh -- no Christmas! Lucky for the elf and kids everywhere, Henry meets Mason (Munro Chambers), a boy who needs to learn a lesson about dogs, and Beethoven, the lovable pet who's there to teach him. It takes a village and lots of comic action, but the three heroes save the day and learn some important lessons, too.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (3):

BEETHOVEN'S CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE is bright, colorful, with a simply told story, engaging animal heroes, very silly comic villains, and plenty of slapstick action. For the first time, Beethoven talks (in the voice of Tom Arnold). And, just past the onslaught of branded toys and games, the film has a heart.

It takes a look at the healing nature of humans bonding with pets, and the value of adopting homeless animals, specifically from the ASPCA. It's not a classic, but most kids (and even some grownups) will laugh a bit and enjoy the happy endings.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about film's message that the best gifts don't always come from a bag. What was Mason's best Christmas gift? Can you think of some gifts you could give or have received that don't come from a bag or a store? How does this message go along with all the branded toys featured in the movie? Do you think the movie is trying to sell these toys?

  • What is the movie's message about pets?

  • There's a lot of make-believe or cartoon mischief and destruction in this movie. What are some of the ways you can tell that it's make-believe and not real? What might really happen if someone fell out of a tree?

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