Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cartoon falls, crashes in endearing book-based holiday film.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland
What's the Story?
When St. Nick (Gerard Butler) receives a letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts (Eliza Riley), he and his reindeer fly to Wonderland to deliver the girl her present at the start of THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND. When they arrive, they are met by the miserable Queen of Hearts (Emilia Clarke), who despises Christmas and locks St. Nick and his gang up. Together with Alice (Simone Ashley), the Mad Hatter (Mawaan Rizwan) and the March Hare (Asim Chaudhry), St. Nick will try to save Christmas and change the Queen's heart.
Is It Any Good?
Delightful and inventive, this Christmas animation is an enchanting throwback in both style and story. The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland is full of heart and plenty of ho-ho-ho moments, from St. Nick stuck in the rabbit hole and splitting his red trousers to reveal pink boxers, to the bad-tempered Queen's "Twelve Crimes of Christmas" ditty. Don't let the 2D-style animation lull you into thinking this film is only for the very youngest. It has a dash of wit that will humor viewers of any age, and its fast-paced rhyming dialogues and musical numbers are delightfully charming. This is a don't-miss holiday event.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether and when they noticed that the dialogues in The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland were rhyming. Did you find it distracting? Charming? Neither?
How does St. Nick show the Queen empathy? How does this change her life and also help solve his Christmas Eve crisis? What does the Queen gain by showing others kindness?
The creators of the film used 2D animation software to make characters look and move like traditional cut-out animation. What did you think of the look in the film? Did it remind you of any other movies you've watched?
Have you experienced other books or movies that combined more than one classic tale, as this one does? Do you feel the two stories were woven together well? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 15, 2024
- Cast : Gerard Butler , Emilia Clarke , Simone Ashley
- Director : Peter Baynton
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Hulu
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship , Holidays , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Character Strengths : Empathy
- Run time : 80 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : December 14, 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