The Santa Clause 2
Common Sense says
- G
- 2002
- 104 minutes
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has some bathroom humor. A character tries to yank out his tooth to get the tooth fairy to come (and one apparently succeeds, off camera). Parents might want to talk to younger kids to make sure they do not imitate this behavior. While the movie has strong, intelligent female characters, the elves (played by children) conform to 1950's-era stereotypes, with the boys creating toys and playing football while the girls deliver the cookies and cocoa. There are very few minority characters and the movie does not acknowledge any other religious or cultural holiday traditions.
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User Reviews
The Whatever Clause... pointless sequel.
i love all the Santa Clauses!!!!
What's the story?
In this sequel, Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) learns there is one more "Santa Clause" in his obligation to fill Santa's shoes. He must marry a Mrs. Claus before Christmas, only 28 days away. He returns home to visit his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), so that he can find out how Charlie got on the "naughty" list and find a Mrs. Claus to bring back to the North Pole. Charlie is in trouble for vandalizing the school with graffiti protesting the principal's refusal to celebrate Christmas. The principal is very stern and Scrooge-ish, but behind those glasses she might just make a good Mrs. Claus. Meanwhile, back at the North Pole, Santa has left a mechanical substitute (also played by Allen), who gets wired on a couple of gallons of hot cocoa and decides that all the children have been naughty and will get lumps of coal in their stockings this year.
Is it any good?
This overstuffed turkey of a movie wraps itself in holly and hot cocoa only to come to the conclusion that the magic of Christmas is...getting presents. When it comes to the true Christmas spirit, this movie makes Home Alone look like The Gift of the Magi.
Yes, it has Disney's meticulously imaginative art direction, and Allen's comic timing is always a pleasure. But the overall theme that Christmas is about getting the perfect gift, even if you haven't been entirely good, compounded by intrusive product placements for McDonald's and Nestle, will leave the audience feeling like it has just eaten an entire plum pudding. As with the first film, parents should use caution in bringing children who may be grappling with the issue of Santa's existence to see this, and should be prepared to discuss their own traditions and beliefs.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Charlie feels about keeping the secret of his father's life as Santa. They can also talk about how a big disappointment can make someone afraid to try to be happy. Talk about the scene in which adults play with their favorite childhood toys. Which would you like to have again?
Movie details
- In theaters: October 27, 2002
- On DVD or streaming: November 18, 2003
- Cast: David Krumholtz, Elizabeth Mitchell, Tim Allen
- Director: Michael Lembeck
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Holidays
- Run time: 104 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- MPAA explanation: general audiences
For kids who love holiday laughs
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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.