A Boy Called Christmas
An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny in this magical and endearing story that proves nothing is impossible…
- Released: 2021-11-25
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
- Stars: Henry Lawfull, Kristen Wiig, Michiel Huisman, Maggie Smith, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent, Toby Jones, Rune Temte, Zoe Colletti, Indica Watson, Stephen Merchant, Sinéad Phelps, Philip Lenkowsky, Peter Hosking, Perveen Hussain, Abiola Ogunbiyi, Kendrick Roger Ong, Rishi Kuppa, Joel Fry, Carol MacReady, Isabella O’Sullivan, Eden Lawrence, Ayomide Garrick
- Director: Gil Kenan
Comments
- mark.waltz - 22 November 2023
The greatest Christmas present ever could be Maggie Smith telling a holiday story.
"I'm working on it", the terrific Dame Maggie retorts as someone wishes her a merry Christmas as she makes her way to her nephew's home. She is there to babysit her great nieces and nephews, engaging them with her version of how the legend of St. Nick got started, and partway through the story asks if she should come back next year and continue, the looks on the kid's faces at this magical old lady saying no, please continue.
Like Peter Falk did with "The Princess Bride" and Winona Ryder did in "Edward Scissorhands", Smith is there to tell the story, being shown for the viewer, as how a young Finnish boy (Henry Lawfull) makes his way to a magical village where his destiny lies, finding all sorts of adventures with his friends that includes talking mice and reindeer, dealing with a shrieking aunt (Kristen Wiig) and a winter witch (Sally Hawkins), as well as elves and pixies.
Okay, so the troll looks like a giant Muppet, and the legend audiences have come to believe as Santa's story is greatly altered (no island of misfit toys or red lightbulb wearing reindeer), but guess what. Legends are fiction. At least this covers the spirit of Christmas, although all religious elements are simply not mentioned. It's dark and definitely not for really young kids, but clever and beautiful to look at. The voiceovers aren't really great, but the human performances are just fine. Smith doesn't have to stuff herself into a corset or silly hat to command, and she is a winner just telling the tale. Did the trick for me to feel the Christmas spirit. - kittybuttons - 19 December 2022
Absolutely magical
The second year of watching this film and it's already a must-watch Christmas classic. I forgot how much I adored it but the magic and storytelling is still there. The equally heart swelling and heart shattering line that broke me last year did it again and I sobbed like a child: "Grief is the price you pay for love and it's worth it a million times over".
I don't want to give any spoilers but suffice to say that this film is spectacular. The visuals, storyline, heart and soul all personify christmas as it's meant to be. I adore it and wholeheartedly recommend for anyone with a sentimental heart and a love of christmas. - rannynm - 22 February 2022
An Unforgettable Magical Tale Of How Christmas Came To Be
A Boy Called Christmas is an unforgettable magical tale of how Christmas came to be. Nikolas sets out on a difficult journey to the Far North in search of his father and the magical elf village called Elfhelm. What he finds is so much more. He finds new friends, hope, and who he was meant to be.
As the film begins, Aunt Ruth (Maggie Smith), comes to babysit three children during the Christmas season. She tells them a story of a boy named Nikolas (Henry Lawfull), or Christmas as his mother used to call him. His father, Joel, (Michael Huisman) embarks on a quest with others to find a spark of magic in the North for the King (Jim Broadbent) who is looking to bring back hope to the people. Nikolas finds a map and ventures into the great unknown with his pet mouse, Miika, in search of his father and the village of Elfhelm.
My favorite scene is when Nikolas meets The Truth Pixie (Zoe Margaret Colletti) while he's locked away in a tower. The Truth Pixie is a comical character who doesn't want to help Nikolas at first, but they soon become friends, which is lucky for him. She decides to help him find his dad and their reactions to events are enjoyable to watch. The settings in the film help add to the mood of the story. The small home has simple things that reflect their simple lives. The creative details in the Elfhelm village add a festive flavor to the story. The decorations are perfect for the holiday season and add to the spirit of Christmas. The animation in the film blends well in the scenes. The animated character Miika ( Stephen Merchant) is a helpful little companion to Nicholas that adds a nice touch to the film. The costumes in the film fit the different characters' personalities well. The elves' costumes have nice details that go well with the story. I also like how everything ties in with the kids and Aunt Ruth at the end.
The message in this film is to have hope. Hope is what keeps people going in times that are hard. Nickolas learns that hope is never out of reach and shares this thought with others. The king needed a tangible symbol of hope that would bring happiness and learns from Nikolas that it was inside him all along.
I give A Boy Called Christmas 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this to ages 10 to 17, plus adults. It releases on Netflix November 24, 2021. By Carlee S., KIDS FIRST! - movie_addict2 - 26 December 2021
Just a really BAD wannabe Christmas movie
This is a boring movie. It's not for children and it's not a Christmas family movie. It's hard to imagine someone actually enjoying this movie. And that boy - the supposed Father Christmas 🎅 - to be- it's simply awful; it's hard to emphasize with him. I didn't like the elf's village- Elfhelm. Watching those "merry elven people" partying and dancing seemed somewhat grotesque and definitely fake. I couldn't stop thinking "who in the world would like to spend time here - in the happiest place on earth?" (Elfhelm not Disney parks) Christmas movies should bring some magic ✨ ... something special. The Truth Fairy was annoying, the elf's leader a mix of Maleficent and stupidity, the stolen "elf" just a small Indian boy - because we're all for diversity nowadays.
And the plot with Nikolas's dad - annoyingly called "papa" over and over was totally unrealistic - in the bad way. And the story with the king that wanted something "hopeful" - another failure.
