For hundreds of years, the Claus family has delegated the title "Santa" to a chosen few of its members, which can be passed down upon retirement. Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in a one-night high-tech operation. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one—Arthur Claus, the current Santa’s misfit son deemed ineligible for the title, who executes an unauthorised rookie mission to get the last present halfway around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 22 nominations.
Top Critics Reviews
fresh:
It's as bright and twinkling as a Christmas tree, decked with warmth and humor.
– Amy Biancolli,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Dec 2011
fresh:
It's busy but buoyant, and it honors the tradition of giving with wit and style.
– Bruce Diones,
New Yorker,
5 Dec 2011
fresh:
The action is swift and witty, and the 3-D effects are imaginative and not simply tacked on as with so many animated movies these days.
– Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 Dec 2011
rotten:
The movie fails utterly at coming up with a story that merits all the eye candy.
– Rene Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
25 Nov 2011
fresh:
With a clever script that successfully updates many Christmas myths and dialogue that crackles with sophisticated wit, this movie offers the kind of pre-holiday experience that parents and children alike will appreciate.