Common Sense Media Review
By Sierra Filucci
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Upbeat holiday package without much in the box.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Gotta Catch Santa Claus
What's the Story?
When Trevor (voiced by Cory Doran) finds out that his friend Veronica (Lisa Lennox) doesn't believe in Santa Claus, he sets out to prove his existence. With the help of his two nerdy friends, he hatches a plan to swipe Santa out of the sky using a laser beam. At the same time, an ice monster named LeFreeze and his evil snowmen are trying to stop Santa from spreading his holiday cheer. After Trevor and his friends are successful, they and Santa briefly battle LeFreeze until they find out the reason why LeFreeze is so bitter in the first place. Once that's settled, everyone is happy again and Christmas proceeds as planned.
Is It Any Good?
While the movie does have some unique elements, including an emphasis on science and several funny musical numbers, the overall tale is sort of blah. Never does Santa or Christmas actually seem threatened, and while the characters are pleasant and somewhat unconventional, they don't evolve in any remarkable way over the course of the story. The movie certainly has a lot of energy though, and this will be enough to keep most kids engaged.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 13, 2009
- Cast : Cory Doran , Lisa Lennox , William Shatner
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 66 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : March 14, 2020
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