The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Director: Michael Lembeck
Writers: Ed Decter & John Strauss
Leo Benvenuti & Steve Rudnick (Characters)
Cast: Tim Allen (Santa Clause/Scott Calvin), Elizabeth Mitchell (Mrs. Claus/Carol), Eric Lloyd (Charlie), Judge Reinhold (Neil Miller), Wendy Crewson (Laura Miller), Spencer Breslin, (Curtis), Liliana Mumy (Lucy Miller), Martin Short (Jack Frost), Ann-Margret (Sylvia Newman), Alan Arkin (Bud Newman), Abigail Breslin (Trish), Art LaFleur (Tooth Fairy), Aisha Tyler (Mother Nature), Kevin Pollak (Cupid), Michael Dorn (Sandman), and Peter Boyle as Father Time.
The story starts off with Santa Claus (Tim Allen) and Mrs. Claus (Mitchell), she is expecting a baby which makes things difficult in the North Pole. The elves want Santa (Allen) to oversee toy production, his whole attention is in his work. Mrs. Claus just wants attention, the baby is coming and all she gets from him is, toys, lists, and many more.
Santa tries to work things out for Mrs. Claus inviting the in laws, Sylvia Newman (Ann-Margret), and Alan Arkin (Bud Newman). The plan is that the workshop, the North Pole will be transformed into Canada. So the special place that everybody knows as the North Pole is now Canada. meanwhile Santa (Allen) and Sandman (Michael Dorn) make there way to the in- laws house. They must bring the in-laws to the North Pole, without them knowing. the elves must change everything, as they wait for there arrival.
Things go a bit off coarse, Santa also picks up Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold), Eric Lloyd (Charlie), and Lucy Miller (Liliana Mumy).
To make things worse, Jack Frost (Martin Short) is trying to upstage Santa (Allen), the council is called to the North Pole. Mother Nature (Aisha Tyler) to the Tooth fairy (Art LaFleur), legendary figures calling out Frost (Short), challenging him to stop or suffer the consequences. Santa (Allen) comes up with a way for the ice cold man to settle down. Frost (Short) must help around the North Pole, he is put to work or he will be decommissioned for upstaging. but, frost has other plans, this devious frosty, cold man will come up with only havoc and destruction for the workshop, and Santa will follow him. But, first he must see the snow globe for himself, a plan is in the works.
The Christmas Rant: So many characters in this film, I will only choose the most important, and the ones that makes up the core of the film. The film's huge cast goes from one character to another, and to give credit, it does this very well. For example, Santa Claus's son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) is in the film for about five minutes. We all know Charlie has been the main character from the beginning, so why? leave him out. I guess they thought Lucy (Liliana Mumy) this time around would take Charlies place. I understand why they changed it, understandably it made sense because the way the story went, but why? leave Charlie completely out of it. five minutes isn't enough screen time, he was the central and to me the most essential of all the characters. Did he fall off the globe, what happened? his parents, on both sides were involved, but all he got was was a tiny bit of screen time, for shame. The time travel, or scene with frost (short) played Santa (Allen) into touching the snow globe and pretty much reciting hateful words about being the "Clause" he suddenly was flashed back to that night when Santa fell off his roof. Frost, gets the Santa wear, and hence the beginning of a new timeline. So why? take Charlie out. I would've continued the scene in that timeline, take the story to the past, which it did, keep it there, it seemed that Scott Calvin (Allen) didn't work very hard to get the globe into the hands of Frost (Short). Show what happened as a result of Frost's nifty idea, they spent so much time on the in-laws, that the core storyline vanished. Charlie, is so important that the filmmakers forgot about it, and made it this college of characters mixed in with what was a wonderful heart warming little film. The council of legendary figures to me was a waste of time, instead why? not focus on Charlie, Mrs. Claus (Mitchell). What are the ramifications afterwards, it just turned into a big mess. Look, this film has its strong points, but those points were very little. Enhanced special effects and a humdrum story, that makes you wonder, where the story was really headed. This film could've been a beautiful ending to the trilogy, but instead it ended up like so many films that go in that direction. Not trying to sound like a Scrooge, but they made my favorite character, a toymaker. Charlie is the central part to this film, sorry folks but i can't give this Christmas film high marks, i want to but i can't.
The snow globe idea was pretty cool, but was to easy, Frost just happens to follow Santa and Lucy, in a super secret hidden chamber. Frost is evil, devious, dangerous, but all his antics were stupid, didn't make any sense. Frost for being a powerful Legendary figure he sure gave in to easily. Why? did he not just freeze everyone, that would've been epic.
The in-laws just believed they were in Canada, what! i understand its a comedy, but the scenes with them being ignorant is just ridicules. The Lead elf Bernard (David Krumholtz) before Curtis (Spencer Breslin) took over really made me hot. I loved Bernard, and dislike when films leave a good character out because they either think its better or whatever Another mistake, they should've brought Bernard back, instead we get the Legendary stupid crew.
The Good/Thing: Special effects are a lot better than the other films, so i give it a big plus. Secondly Chet the reindeer came back for more, love that guy, he is funny in a reindeer kinda way. The next big thing is that the character of Mrs. Claus (Mitchell) did a wonderful job, the filmmakers did well in the casting her, she is almost as unforgettable as Santa himself. This film is lovable, funny, and watchable until you get sick of Christmas. I brought up the bad points because, like all films are not perfect, and Christmas being around the corner, i hope this whole review is viewed in positive light, not a scrooge, i promise. Go see the other films before this installment, trust me. tried not to be a Scrooge, but this film has to many issues for me to give a good rating. Bah! Humbug!
Writers: Ed Decter & John Strauss
Leo Benvenuti & Steve Rudnick (Characters)
Cast: Tim Allen (Santa Clause/Scott Calvin), Elizabeth Mitchell (Mrs. Claus/Carol), Eric Lloyd (Charlie), Judge Reinhold (Neil Miller), Wendy Crewson (Laura Miller), Spencer Breslin, (Curtis), Liliana Mumy (Lucy Miller), Martin Short (Jack Frost), Ann-Margret (Sylvia Newman), Alan Arkin (Bud Newman), Abigail Breslin (Trish), Art LaFleur (Tooth Fairy), Aisha Tyler (Mother Nature), Kevin Pollak (Cupid), Michael Dorn (Sandman), and Peter Boyle as Father Time.
The story starts off with Santa Claus (Tim Allen) and Mrs. Claus (Mitchell), she is expecting a baby which makes things difficult in the North Pole. The elves want Santa (Allen) to oversee toy production, his whole attention is in his work. Mrs. Claus just wants attention, the baby is coming and all she gets from him is, toys, lists, and many more.
Santa tries to work things out for Mrs. Claus inviting the in laws, Sylvia Newman (Ann-Margret), and Alan Arkin (Bud Newman). The plan is that the workshop, the North Pole will be transformed into Canada. So the special place that everybody knows as the North Pole is now Canada. meanwhile Santa (Allen) and Sandman (Michael Dorn) make there way to the in- laws house. They must bring the in-laws to the North Pole, without them knowing. the elves must change everything, as they wait for there arrival.
Things go a bit off coarse, Santa also picks up Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold), Eric Lloyd (Charlie), and Lucy Miller (Liliana Mumy).
To make things worse, Jack Frost (Martin Short) is trying to upstage Santa (Allen), the council is called to the North Pole. Mother Nature (Aisha Tyler) to the Tooth fairy (Art LaFleur), legendary figures calling out Frost (Short), challenging him to stop or suffer the consequences. Santa (Allen) comes up with a way for the ice cold man to settle down. Frost (Short) must help around the North Pole, he is put to work or he will be decommissioned for upstaging. but, frost has other plans, this devious frosty, cold man will come up with only havoc and destruction for the workshop, and Santa will follow him. But, first he must see the snow globe for himself, a plan is in the works.
The Christmas Rant: So many characters in this film, I will only choose the most important, and the ones that makes up the core of the film. The film's huge cast goes from one character to another, and to give credit, it does this very well. For example, Santa Claus's son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) is in the film for about five minutes. We all know Charlie has been the main character from the beginning, so why? leave him out. I guess they thought Lucy (Liliana Mumy) this time around would take Charlies place. I understand why they changed it, understandably it made sense because the way the story went, but why? leave Charlie completely out of it. five minutes isn't enough screen time, he was the central and to me the most essential of all the characters. Did he fall off the globe, what happened? his parents, on both sides were involved, but all he got was was a tiny bit of screen time, for shame. The time travel, or scene with frost (short) played Santa (Allen) into touching the snow globe and pretty much reciting hateful words about being the "Clause" he suddenly was flashed back to that night when Santa fell off his roof. Frost, gets the Santa wear, and hence the beginning of a new timeline. So why? take Charlie out. I would've continued the scene in that timeline, take the story to the past, which it did, keep it there, it seemed that Scott Calvin (Allen) didn't work very hard to get the globe into the hands of Frost (Short). Show what happened as a result of Frost's nifty idea, they spent so much time on the in-laws, that the core storyline vanished. Charlie, is so important that the filmmakers forgot about it, and made it this college of characters mixed in with what was a wonderful heart warming little film. The council of legendary figures to me was a waste of time, instead why? not focus on Charlie, Mrs. Claus (Mitchell). What are the ramifications afterwards, it just turned into a big mess. Look, this film has its strong points, but those points were very little. Enhanced special effects and a humdrum story, that makes you wonder, where the story was really headed. This film could've been a beautiful ending to the trilogy, but instead it ended up like so many films that go in that direction. Not trying to sound like a Scrooge, but they made my favorite character, a toymaker. Charlie is the central part to this film, sorry folks but i can't give this Christmas film high marks, i want to but i can't.
The snow globe idea was pretty cool, but was to easy, Frost just happens to follow Santa and Lucy, in a super secret hidden chamber. Frost is evil, devious, dangerous, but all his antics were stupid, didn't make any sense. Frost for being a powerful Legendary figure he sure gave in to easily. Why? did he not just freeze everyone, that would've been epic.
The in-laws just believed they were in Canada, what! i understand its a comedy, but the scenes with them being ignorant is just ridicules. The Lead elf Bernard (David Krumholtz) before Curtis (Spencer Breslin) took over really made me hot. I loved Bernard, and dislike when films leave a good character out because they either think its better or whatever Another mistake, they should've brought Bernard back, instead we get the Legendary stupid crew.
The Good/Thing: Special effects are a lot better than the other films, so i give it a big plus. Secondly Chet the reindeer came back for more, love that guy, he is funny in a reindeer kinda way. The next big thing is that the character of Mrs. Claus (Mitchell) did a wonderful job, the filmmakers did well in the casting her, she is almost as unforgettable as Santa himself. This film is lovable, funny, and watchable until you get sick of Christmas. I brought up the bad points because, like all films are not perfect, and Christmas being around the corner, i hope this whole review is viewed in positive light, not a scrooge, i promise. Go see the other films before this installment, trust me. tried not to be a Scrooge, but this film has to many issues for me to give a good rating. Bah! Humbug!
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