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Aardman movies are great, and that first drew me to what I had presumed was a children's film. A huge surprise, though, that this was a wonderfully "deep" and richly textured movie for adults. In fact, I would be surprised if a very young child would enjoy it much. Under 10s may find a bit of color and a few sight gags, but I don't see them understanding the humor or the references.

I am fondly nostalgic toward the old style Claymation animation Ardman was famous for- but it was not really missed here. The subtle wit and meaningful humanity came through just fine without it. For me, Christmas films about Christmas being spilt or other evils befalling the Santa myth are tiresome. But here all of that merely stood in for a genuine and engaging story that I actually related to.

SPOILER ALERT--- I may be opening myself to ridicule here, but I found the moment Grandsanta and his one old reindeer (he's 136 years old, we are told, and the reindeer is equally ancient, living a life of creaky disability) purposely stopping the sleigh and awaiting certain death and destruction, just to insure the safety of his sons' mission very touching. I know, sounds silly even to me now when I write it, but their sacrifice was depicted without fanfare, and without irony, and felt very real. It was as touching and moving an example of devoting oneself to something bigger, and sacrificing "all" for the sake of others as I have ever seen in any war movie. Sometimes the most affecting heroism is the simplest.

Overall, I, an older adult, loved this movie very much. I plan to see it again, but without any grandchildren or nieces or nephews in tow. Not from selfishness, but because the little ones just wouldn't get it, and it's such a delight, and such an inspiration, that I would want to enjoy it fully myself. And I wouldn't take a lady friend to this film, because I would be embarrassed to have her see me tear up.

Buy This Cristmasmovie

Aardman Animation, home of claymation classics Wallace And Gromit and Chicken Run, first turned their attention to CGI features with Flushed Away. They now return to CGI, with the addition of 3D, in Arthur Christmas. Santa Claus is an hereditary role, it seems, with the current Santa - Malcolm Christmas - on the point of retiring. His older son Stephen masterminds the entire Santa operation from a high tech mission control, with his father on board an enormous craft which has long since superseded the low-tech sleigh, and thousands of elves both on the ship and back at base. Precuupied with logistics and the expectation of inheriting the Santa role, he is a bit humorless and single-minded. Younger son Arthur, however, loves everything about Christmas. Unfortunately, he is incredibly clumsy which is why he has been sidelined to the Letters Department, where he writes wonderful letters back to children. On this particular Christmas Eeve, Steve has signed off on another successful mission and everyone has settled down after their Christmas dinner, when it comes to light that a gift has been left behind - a child has been forgotten. Steve is inclined to shrug his shoulders - the percentage error is minuscule. But Arthur, mindful of the fact that this misses the whole point of Christmas, determines to deliver the present, and sets off on an unauthorised delivery by old-fashioned sleigh power, accompanied by long-retired GrandSanta.

I watched the first five minutes of this in dismay.
The chaotic, frantic business of the Christmas Eve mission is portrayed equally chaotically and frantically, in long swooping camera shots with constant frenetic action and gags coming so thick and fast that you simply can't keep up with them. It is almost impossible to follow and, while it may reward re-watching when the DVD comes out, it is not a good way to start the film. Slowing the action down by half would have helped greatly. But then, once the madness is over and the film proper starts, I found myself in the middle of a movie which charmed me immediately and, ultimately, filled me with joy.

Happy Feet 2 review Happy Feet 2 Photo galery

This film will become a Christmas classic. It is full of outstanding visuals, entertaining characters, terrific voice work (especially Bill Nighy's GrandSanta), and lots of little unexpected gags and touches which are constant delights. There is suspense, family relationships, joy, disappointment, excitement, spectacle, lots of laughs, and a profound spirit of Christmasness. And the 3D is terrific. It isn't perfect - the overcooked start shows that, and James McAvoy's Arthur is sometimes just a bit too shrill. But in all other respects this is a wonderful, wonderful film, and I recommend it highly. Incidentally, 3 days after originally posting this, I cannot believe that this is still the only review posted.