Get Santa

Dir: Christopher Smith

2014

***

It's funny how so many horror film directors go on to make Christmas films these days. Most are money directors who make them fast, cheap and rely on a killer movie poster but some, like the brilliant Christopher Smith, are very competent at what they do. The general rule is that if they've made horror films, Christmas films and films involving puppies (and indeed Christmas themed films involving puppies) then avoid at all costs. Christopher Smith made the brilliant and extremely underrated Creep (2004) and Severance (2006) and can now boast that he has made the best British live-action Christmas film in the last decade. The words 'best' and 'Christmas film' don't go together very often and don't generally add up to much but in this case I can confirm that while it's nothing amazing, it is pretty good. I'm not the biggest Rafe Spall fan in the world but he's not too bad in this. His 'not quite dead-pan'/The Office-esque reactionary style, adopted by many actors of his generation, is toned down somewhat and even though the clichéd 'father and son' bonding sub-plot is tired, it didn't let the film down and the overall story is fairly original. Jim Broadbent makes for a delightful Santa, so much so you have to wonder why he hasn't played him before (his role in Arthur Christmas not counting as it was only a voice part). While the story has original elements about it, it is largely made up of various used themes borrowed from other Christmas films. I thought the whole 'Do you believe in Santa?' question went on for far too long but it was made up for by some strong supporting performances (particularly by Warwick Davis, Ewan Bremner and Stephan Graham). It also has some pretty impressive special effects for a British film with a moderate budget but over everything, it has a great script with some really lovely lines - mostly delivered by Broadbent's Santa. It's very much a film for kids but adults will be able to enjoy/stomach it too.