Aardman’s second CG feature attracts a starry cast (not just the leads — check out who’s credited as “Lead Elf”!) to the story of how Santa really delivers all those presents in one night: a giant spaceship-like craft and thousands of SAS-esque elves. But when one child is missed, Santa’s clumsy son Arthur resolves to fix it.
So commences a breathless global knockabout — it rattles along so fast, an hour in you’ll think it must be nearly over. Aside from a few longueurs that give you pause to think such thoughts, it’s an entertaining ride, perfect for the family at Christmas.
This review is part of the 100 Films Advent Calendar 2013. Read more here.
In the interests of completing my ever-growing backlog, I decided to post ‘drabble reviews’ of some films. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a drabble is a complete piece of writing exactly 100 words long.
* Most websites list both Smith and Barry Cook as director. However, at the very start of the closing credits it prominently states just, “Directed by Sarah Smith”. IMDb specifies that Cook was “co-director”, and having watched the credits especially for a second time, I found him: he has the 28th credit. While I’m sure his contribution was vital, I’ve stuck with just crediting the person credited. ^
100Films.co.uk 