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The story picks up two years after the first movie as Kate, now a pouty teenager, is trying to avoid spending Christmas Eve with her mom’s boyfriend’s son, Jack (Jahzir Bruno).
Nov 25, 2020 · Reviews. The Christmas Chronicles 2. Adventure. 112 minutes ‧ PG ‧ 2020. Nick Allen. November 25, 2020. 6 min read. Even before millions of viewers made it one of Netflix’s most successful films ever, there was some magic behind Clay Kaytis ’ “ The Christmas Chronicles.”
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Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are absolutely magical together. Even in the simple cameo that Goldie Hawn shared with Kurt Russell at the end of The Christmas Chronicles, their legendary...
- Senior Movies Contributor
The Christmas Chronicles 2 is better than your average Christmas movie, even if it offers many familiar touches. Chris Columbus takes over the reins as director and binges on the cheesy...
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- Chris Columbus
- PG
- Kurt Russell
- The War for Santa's Workshop.
- The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two Gallery
- Verdict
By Matt Fowler
Posted: Nov 24, 2020 4:00 pm
The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two debuts on Netflix on November 25, 2020.
Two years ago, Netflix mined unexpected gold with the simple premise of "Kurt Russell is Santa Claus." The Chris Columbus-produced The Christmas Chronicles was a huge holiday hit for the streamer and now the saga continues with Columbus actually back in the director's chair (for the first time since 2015's Pixels) for Part Two - a notably noisy sequel full of action, high energy, and some actual Santa lore.
Quality-wise, Christmas Chronicles is more or less on par with the first film. Russell's take on Santa, as usual, is a bizarrely engaging one. He's an atypical Santa, for sure, but his enthusiasm and gruff warmth makes for a svelte, salt and pepper St. Nick who can feel both harsh and huggable. Plus, you get to see him perform, once again, a musical number to raise desperate, declining spirits (now with the aid of singer Darlene Love).
This time around, the fun Easter egg (to mix up holiday metaphors) from the end of the first film, which was Russell's real-life partner Goldie Hawn popping in as Mrs. Claus, is now a full part of the story as Darby Camp's Kate Pierce, and the anxious son of Kate's mom's suitor, Jack (played by Jahzir Bruno), get transported to Santa's village and find themselves in a brand new eleventh-hour crusade to save Christmas.
Hawn, who has acted sparingly over the past few decades, fits perfectly into the festivities. The last time she acted alongside Russell, outside of the cameo in the first Christmas Chronicles, was 1987's Overboard, so watching the two of them sleigh ride into these roles is a treat. These Chronicles films are also just genuinely earnest and endearing adventures, with bloated budgets to help them feel souped-up (in the grand scheme of Santa cinema).
One curious creative choice in Part Two, which involves the mythical Belsnickel (Deadpool 2's Julian Dennison) trying to sabotage Christmas because -- well -- he's just a pain in the ass, is the sidelining of Judah Lewis' Teddy, and Bruno's Jack taking Teddy's place as Kate's second. Teddy's transformation, from grinch to good guy, was the centerpiece of the first film so it was odd to see the siblings split up this time around. Though, Part Two does showcase Kate as the one who needs to have her attitude adjusted.
Previously the effervescent "true believer," even in the wake of her father's death, Kate is now suffering in Part Two due to big changes in the family dynamic. Her mom (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) is being wooed by Tyrese Gibson's Bob and the entire soon-to-be blended family is vacationing in the tropics for Christmas. Kate hates all of it while Teddy, nicely, takes it in stride as the least resistant of the two.
Kate's unruly mood makes her vulnerable to the Belsnickel's sneaky tactics and, before you know it, he's stolen the Light of Bethlehem and placed the entire season of good cheer in jeopardy. All Christmas needs is some soaring sleigh fights, some time-travel, some gingerbread cookie grenades, and Kate accepting some tweaks to tradition for everything to fall back into place. The film's a little long, as it feels like it should be barreling toward the end around the halfway point, but ultimately it gets the holly jolly job done.
The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two, directed and co-written by Chris Columbus, once again takes full advantage of Kurt Russell's exuberance as Santa -- and the full addition of Goldie Hawn's Mrs. Claus -- for a rewarding romp about young Kate Pierce's need to rediscover the holiday spirit.
Nov 24, 2020 · In the final scene of “The Christmas Chronicles,” a painless dose of yuletide pablum that Netflix subscribers lapped up back in 2018, Santa Claus returns home after a busier-than-usual...
Nov 27, 2020 · ‘The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two’ review: lumps of coal wrapped up in a sparkly stocking. Kurt Russell's second outing as Santa Claus wastes its bigger, sequel-sized budget. By Nick...
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