Parents' Guide to The Shepherd

Adapted from a novella by Fredrick Forsyth, this short fantasy drama released by Disney has been a long time coming. Travolta, who plays the titular The Shepherd, first came across the story over 30 years ago. He had originally hoped to play the role of rookie fighter pilot Hook, who finds himself perilously running out of fuel over the North Sea on Christmas Eve, 1957. Instead that part is filled by Radcliffe, who gives an admirable performance in a role that sees him in every scene. This includes him having to deliver some incredibly exposition-heavy lines just to himself, such as "How can I land, if I've got no one to talk me down?" and "Hopefully someone will pick me up on radar. It's my only hope." Despite this jarring dialogue, the film -- at only 38 minutes -- flies along and Travolta reads the tone of the movie by giving a restrained but capturing performance. While it might not hit the heights of other classic Christmas shorts such as The Snowman, there's enough heart and intrigue here for a family viewing.