Santa Hunters

Santa Hunters revisits a popular theme of holiday movies for the kid crowd: Can you believe in Santa without seeing for yourself that he's real? This story tilts heavily in favor of the magic of it all -- particularly with regard to die-hard believer Alex -- but merely suggesting the need for proof could raise questions for kids whose faith is on the fence. And when the kids consider the logistics of legendary hallmarks of St. Nick's magic -- ingesting millions of cookies in one night, hauling enough toys for the world's tots in one bag -- it does cause one to wonder anew how it all works.

Mystery aside, Santa Hunters is a fairly mundane addition to a holiday movie repertoire packed with classics and traditional favorites. There's little about it that's really notable, save the glaringly absent restrictions on kids who run amok in their pursuit of Santa and one very memorable bathroom scene, courtesy of a gassy grown-up. As for the big man himself, he's a surprising about-face from the wizened, grandfatherly types we tend to expect in that role, often seeming oafish and unpracticed. The bottom line? With the plethora of Christmas movies at families' disposal during the holiday season, there's reason to be picky about the ones you choose to maximize the holiday spirit.