Intro
This film certainly has all the credentials required to be a hit. Produced by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions, released by Warner Bros and starring the likes of Jim Broadbent and Warwick Davis, it certainly has enough going for it to perk the interest.
Originally announced in May 2011, filming took place earlier this year and it is shot entirely in England, around London and Yorkshire.
The story
For those of you that are familiar with Santa Who?, the 2000 film starring Leslie Nielsen, this film sounds like having some similarities. Nine-year-old Tom, played by Kit Connor, discovers Santa sleeping in the shed at his suburban London home he shares with his Dad Steve (Rafe Spall).
Santa is seeking shelter after crashing his sleigh and is now on the run from the police too. Father and son are now in a race against time to get Santa back on his feet and return him to the North Pole in time for Christmas, which is just three days away.
However, it’s not as simple as driving him to Heathrow and sticking him on the next flight out. Of course Santa needs to recover his sleigh, and his reindeer which was now running loose around the city of London and, depending on where you read, they may even end up in Battersea Dogs Home! Obviously.
What we think
Although the storyline will have similarities to a few other movies, we think this will be worth a watch (well, all Christmas films are). Set mainly around London and starring some very good British talent, it should be a good watch. It will be interesting to see how Director and Writer Christopher Smith turns his hand to a festive family comedy following some of his past work such as Severance (2009) and Black Death (2010).