Klaus (2019) PG Netflix
A big budget splurge from Netflix, though I'm sure they're hoping that it will be a festive favourite that viewers will return to, year after year, to justify their investment.
Klaus tells the story of an heir called Jesper who is banished to a remote northern island to prove his worth by setting up a successful post office (it makes a bit more sense in the film). As he tries to meet the challenge so he can escape, along with a kind, old, bearded local woodcarver called Klaus, he accidentally establishes all the legends of Santa Claus. It does this quite well but, damn, it takes its sweet time to get there. It's halfway through before you sense how the film has anything to do with Christmas, and it's over an hour before the C word is mentioned.
Despite being animated, I'm not really sure it will work for younger children. My daughter Libby sat in the room while we watched, but focused on her iPad the whole time. There's some lovely animation, but it needs to be funnier and the first half draaaags...
Christmas Cheese Rating: 7/10 - Eventually, we get some Christmas imagery, but it mostly avoids the cheese.
Snow Rating: 10/10 - It's set in the far north and relies on snow to remind you it's supposed to be a festive film.
Actually Any Good Rating: 7/10 - It is good; once it gets going.
A big budget splurge from Netflix, though I'm sure they're hoping that it will be a festive favourite that viewers will return to, year after year, to justify their investment.
Klaus tells the story of an heir called Jesper who is banished to a remote northern island to prove his worth by setting up a successful post office (it makes a bit more sense in the film). As he tries to meet the challenge so he can escape, along with a kind, old, bearded local woodcarver called Klaus, he accidentally establishes all the legends of Santa Claus. It does this quite well but, damn, it takes its sweet time to get there. It's halfway through before you sense how the film has anything to do with Christmas, and it's over an hour before the C word is mentioned.
Despite being animated, I'm not really sure it will work for younger children. My daughter Libby sat in the room while we watched, but focused on her iPad the whole time. There's some lovely animation, but it needs to be funnier and the first half draaaags...
Christmas Cheese Rating: 7/10 - Eventually, we get some Christmas imagery, but it mostly avoids the cheese.
Snow Rating: 10/10 - It's set in the far north and relies on snow to remind you it's supposed to be a festive film.
Actually Any Good Rating: 7/10 - It is good; once it gets going.