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Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Funny Christmas tale has feel-good themes for families.
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What's the Story?
The countdown to Christmas has begun, and the North Pole is a flurry of activity as the hardworking residents prepare for Santa's big night ... but a security breach threatens the integrity of the Naughty and Nice Lists and puts the elves on high alert. The experienced prep team of Lanny (voiced by Derek Richardson) and Wayne (Dave Foley) is called in to infiltrate the unidentified hacker's home and retrieve the classified conduct calculator before "Jinglesmell1337" can transfer her name from the Naughty List to the Nice one. As an extra precaution, the elves must team up with a Naughty Kid expert, who turns out to be Wayne's estranged younger brother, Noel (Rob Riggle). Mixing work and family is never a good idea, and for these new co-workers, being together could just jeopardize the mission -- and Christmas itself.
Is It Any Good?
Elfin odd couple Lanny and Wayne return for more mayhem in this delightful original interpretation of the behind-the-scenes work behind the biggest holiday of the year. Once again Wayne has his eye on a work-related accolade -- the "Elf of the Year" award -- and once again he finds himself surrounded by less-than-enviable coworkers whom he fears might cost him his chance. This time his predicament is complicated by a family entanglement as well, and a long-held resentment comes to a head just as the clock ticks down on Christmas Eve.
It's not easy to present a truly original Christmas story, but PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE manages it with ease. Maybe you've never given any thought to the interface and motherboards it takes to monitor the Naughty and Nice Lists or what happens when the Coal Elf Brigade visits the houses of those Naughty Kids, but you'll certainly mull it over after watching this laugh-out-loud holiday special. And you're bound to be brimming with Christmas spirit by the end, thanks to the heartwarming messages about the ties that bind family and loved ones, even as their presence at the holidays can strike a nerve or two.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about relationships. Kids: How well do you get along with your siblings or close friends? Are there issues that arise that often lead to squabbles? How do you handle them? Have you ever had a problem with someone that you weren't able to resolve?
Kids: What do you like about this story's image of the North Pole and its residents? How does this movie's take on Christmas differ from that of other holiday specials you've seen?
How do TV shows, movies, and music relate to your family's holiday traditions? Do you have different rules about media use this time of year or at any other special times? What are your standard rules about TV? Why do your parents establish rules like these?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 6, 2012
- Cast: Dave Foley , Derek Richardson , Sarah Chalke
- Director: Kevin Deters
- Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Holidays
- Run time: 22 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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