The animated movie Arthur Christmas (2011) takes a different view of who Santa Claus really is and how the north Pole is run in a more modern time. It is directed by Sarah Smith who also wrote the screenplay with co-writer Peter Baynham.
Arthur (James McAvoy) is the very english son of Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent). He is the youngest of two sons. His older brother, Steve (Hugh Laurie) is the military mastermind who uses all new technology to aid in producing and delivering millions of toys each year to children all around the world. Santa Claus pretty much leaves everything up to Steve and jumps into the new fangled "sleigh," more like a space ship, each year to deliver the toys to children on Christmas Eve. Then he retires to his bed and puts his cell phone on voicemail, telling all he will return calls next year on Christmas Eve when he wakes again.
Arthur, our main character, is a wide eyed dreamer, who is clumsy. He does not have a particularly important role in the family business. Yet, Arthur sees his role as a reader and responder of letters from children to Santa as very important. This job keeps him out of eveyrone's hair and satisfies Arthur's need to be part of the family business. Yet, Arthur is made to feel he will never amount to more than a letter reader. Steve is the next Santa in line for the job and he relishes the position.
When a mistake is made in what type of gift is sent to a little girl and Arthur catches the mistake, he jumps into action. Seeing that his father and brother have not caught the mistake, nor care if it is corrected, he decides it will bring him closer to both of them, if he solves the issue.
That is when we meet the grandfather, a former Santa himself, who longs for the old days without computers, cell phones and GPS. He thinks paper maps, the old sleigh with reindeer and magic dust works just fine. Arthur confides in him and he offers to help by revving up the old sleigh to take the correct gift to the little girl.
Along the way, they both fall into problems and issues, which mission control finds out about and tries to correct. And all Arthur wanted to do was to make sure every child was happy. Every child!
As I watched the movie, I noticed that children of all ages, including the adults, were transfixed to the movie. The 3D action was decent and fun to watch. There were moments in the film when children would cheer and clap. It definitely took everyone on an adventurous sleigh ride across the world. We were all right there with Arthur, wanting him to make sure every child, even just this one little girl, got what they wanted by Christmas morning.
I would highly recommend this movie for a family night out. It is always fun to have 3D sleighs and reindeer flying at you. We all enjoy the story of Santa and what Christmas means to a child. This version definitely takes you on a new and exciting trip into the future of Christmas!
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