In 1994, “The Santa Clause” entertained audiences with the rather witty concept of a man who, by fate, circumstance and a touch of tragedy, came called upon to take the reigns and be the one and only Santa Claus. Tim Allen’s portrayal of Santa, A.K.A. Scott Calvin, brought laughs that appealed to both children and adults in the time of such great Disney feature films as “Iron Will,” “Angels in the Outfield” and “The Rocketeer,” not to mention countless classic animated films.
Less than 10 years later, audiences were struck with the shoddy and obviously more low-budget sequel, “The Santa Clause 2.” That was bad enough, but to have to start the holiday season this year with a third Clause movie – subtitled “The Escape Clause” and toting a very freezer-burnt Martin Short as Jack Frost – there is fear in the hearts of the early Christmas moviegoers.
The plot of the movie seems wholly unoriginal; new wife Carol Claus, introduced in the previous movie, is with child as Santa suddenly has to combat seasonal stereotype Jack Frost in a fight for the North Pole. Coupled with bad reindeer gags and Allen’s attempts to keep humor bolstered, I fear for the holiday.
However, this is little to no surprise. Disney’s attempts at sequels, trilogies and beyond have only changed the classics that have become engrained in our generation’s minds into capitalist fodder for the next. It’s a matter of quantity over quality to such a point that the name of Disney is rued in family households rather than brought in for all ages as it once was.
Can’t someone save Christmas?