The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
By Jane Louise BoursawMPAA Rating: G
This third installment of the Santa Clause trilogy finds Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) still fulfilling his job as The Jolly One. And he's good at it! He makes kids laugh and has a knack for bringing joy to everyone he meets.
But he's got a problem this year – a rival for the position. As Christmas nears, the malicious Jack Frost (Martin Short) decides he's sick of having such a downer job. He whines to Santa, "You get TV specials and a postage stamp and an army of toy-building yes-men! What do I get? A few running noses and some dead citrus!"
So Jack takes his plea to the council of holiday icons (Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Mother Nature, etc.), and it's determined that he'll upstage Santa. This is where the "Escape Clause" comes in, a time-travel tool that takes Scott and Jack back to the night the previous Santa fell off Scott's roof. You might recall that he put the red coat on, gained a few pounds, grew a beard, and assumed the role.
Not so this time. Jack knocks Scott in the face with a snow shovel and grabs the red coat, thereby becoming the next Santa. As icing on the cake, he put his special stamp on the holiday, renaming it "Frostmas".
But there's a problem. Jack doesn't have many people skills. He's frosty, not warm. He scares kids. And he isn't exactly cuddly when they try to hug him.
Meanwhile, Scott is dealing with his disapproving in-laws (Alan Arkin and Ann-Margret, in a casting coup), heading to the North Pole to celebrate the birth of their grandchild. Scott's wife, Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell) surfaced in the second movie, "The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause," and now she's pregnant.
Like the first two movies, this one offers some fun twists, thanks in large part to the entertaining elves manning the toy shop. Though Tim Allen hasn't sparked huge box office numbers with recent movies (Zoom, The Shaggy Dog), he seems at home in family films. And, let's face it, they offer a nice respite from heavy movies requiring lots of emotional energy.
This movie might not have you rolling in the aisles, but it delivers a few good, old-fashioned laughs, not to mention some touching scenes of Santa spreading joy near and far.
Unfortunately, David Krumholtz doesn't return as the amusingly grouchy head elf Bernard, but Spencer Breslin does a great job as new head elf, Curtis. Wendy Crewson and Judge Reinhold reprise their roles as Scott’s ex-wife and her husband Neil. Aisha Tyler, Kevin Pollak, and Art LaFleur once again play Mother Nature, Cupid, and the Tooth Fairy.
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Though rated G, this movie manages to squeeze in some slapstick violence: Jack Frost slamming Scott in the face with a snow shovel, Scott careening into Jack and knocking him over, Jack "frosting" people with his breath… Plus, Jack's got plenty of personal issues he needs to work through! Because of these things and the fact that the story might confuse kids who still believe in Santa, this movie really isn't appropriate for preschoolers.
GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6-10): This is the age group they're targeting, for all the reasons mentioned above – slapstick violence, Jack's issues, and some new characters thrown in for laughs. It's always fun to see Martin Short do his thing, and Ann-Margret and Alan Arkin shine as the obnoxious mother-in-law and irritable father-in-law. The take-away message: Don't mess with Santa!
TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): Ok, so this movie doesn't offer much in the way of social commentary, history, or all those other weighty matters. But that's ok. Most of the movies aimed at this crowd are filled with sex ("John Tucker Must Die"), violence ("X-Men: The Last Stand"), and crude humor ("The Benchwarmers"). Take a breather. See this movie. Catch some snow globe magic.
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries.
But he's got a problem this year – a rival for the position. As Christmas nears, the malicious Jack Frost (Martin Short) decides he's sick of having such a downer job. He whines to Santa, "You get TV specials and a postage stamp and an army of toy-building yes-men! What do I get? A few running noses and some dead citrus!"
So Jack takes his plea to the council of holiday icons (Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Mother Nature, etc.), and it's determined that he'll upstage Santa. This is where the "Escape Clause" comes in, a time-travel tool that takes Scott and Jack back to the night the previous Santa fell off Scott's roof. You might recall that he put the red coat on, gained a few pounds, grew a beard, and assumed the role.
Not so this time. Jack knocks Scott in the face with a snow shovel and grabs the red coat, thereby becoming the next Santa. As icing on the cake, he put his special stamp on the holiday, renaming it "Frostmas".
But there's a problem. Jack doesn't have many people skills. He's frosty, not warm. He scares kids. And he isn't exactly cuddly when they try to hug him.
Meanwhile, Scott is dealing with his disapproving in-laws (Alan Arkin and Ann-Margret, in a casting coup), heading to the North Pole to celebrate the birth of their grandchild. Scott's wife, Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell) surfaced in the second movie, "The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause," and now she's pregnant.
Like the first two movies, this one offers some fun twists, thanks in large part to the entertaining elves manning the toy shop. Though Tim Allen hasn't sparked huge box office numbers with recent movies (Zoom, The Shaggy Dog), he seems at home in family films. And, let's face it, they offer a nice respite from heavy movies requiring lots of emotional energy.
This movie might not have you rolling in the aisles, but it delivers a few good, old-fashioned laughs, not to mention some touching scenes of Santa spreading joy near and far.
Unfortunately, David Krumholtz doesn't return as the amusingly grouchy head elf Bernard, but Spencer Breslin does a great job as new head elf, Curtis. Wendy Crewson and Judge Reinhold reprise their roles as Scott’s ex-wife and her husband Neil. Aisha Tyler, Kevin Pollak, and Art LaFleur once again play Mother Nature, Cupid, and the Tooth Fairy.
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Though rated G, this movie manages to squeeze in some slapstick violence: Jack Frost slamming Scott in the face with a snow shovel, Scott careening into Jack and knocking him over, Jack "frosting" people with his breath… Plus, Jack's got plenty of personal issues he needs to work through! Because of these things and the fact that the story might confuse kids who still believe in Santa, this movie really isn't appropriate for preschoolers.
GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6-10): This is the age group they're targeting, for all the reasons mentioned above – slapstick violence, Jack's issues, and some new characters thrown in for laughs. It's always fun to see Martin Short do his thing, and Ann-Margret and Alan Arkin shine as the obnoxious mother-in-law and irritable father-in-law. The take-away message: Don't mess with Santa!
TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): Ok, so this movie doesn't offer much in the way of social commentary, history, or all those other weighty matters. But that's ok. Most of the movies aimed at this crowd are filled with sex ("John Tucker Must Die"), violence ("X-Men: The Last Stand"), and crude humor ("The Benchwarmers"). Take a breather. See this movie. Catch some snow globe magic.
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries.
