The Christmas Chronicles

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The Christmas Chronicles

TV-PG

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1h 44m

Kids & Family

Holiday

Comedy

Fantasy

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce hatch a scheme to capture Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. When the plan goes awry, the kids join forces with a somewhat jolly Saint Nick and his loyal elves to save the holiday before it's too late.

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Critics Consensus

Viewers seeking a fresh holiday viewing option -- or those simply in the mood for Santa Kurt Russell -- should find The Christmas Chronicles well worth a yuletide stream.

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Derek Smith

Slant Magazine

11/05/2019

2/4

In the end, the film succumbs to the tropes and emotional contrivances of the family melodrama at its core, ending up as a serviceable yet mostly forgettable addition to the already overstuffed genre of holiday-themed films.

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Charles Bramesco

AV Club

11/05/2019

C+

The film doesn't know how to get out of its own way and foreground what's working, namely the dynamo of screen presence placed more prominently in the advertising than the feature itself.

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Melanie McFarland

Salon.com

12/18/2018

The film's no great shakes, but Russell's star power in "The Christmas Chronicles" is a gift anyone should be happy to claim.

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Dallas King

Flick Feast

11/10/2022

2/5

With a plot as old as the jokes you find in a Christmas cracker... The Christmas Chronicles, would find itself firmly on the naughty list.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

08/24/2022

C

Russell plays Santa with absolute integrity, which in this context means he plays Santa as Kurt Russell playing Santa, which is the only reason most people of legal age would want to watch this.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/19/2022

3.5/5

A fun, spry holiday movie that should fit nicely onto your Christmastime watchlist.

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Michael

12/08/2024

Good production quality for a Netflix film. Saw it a second time recently on the big screen and really does well there. I was susceptible to the sentimentality of it all. Instant classic.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone 6d

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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TheMovieSearch R

@TheMovieSearch Dec 15

The Christmas Chronicles surprised me by turning what looked like a corny holiday film into a fun and creative experience anchored by Kurt Russell as Santa Claus. From the opening moments it establishes a playful tone while respecting the magic of the character. Russell brings swagger humor and warmth to Santa making him feel modern without losing the traditional spirit. Goldie Hawn as Mrs Claus adds charm and balance creating a believable partnership. The story follows two siblings caught in an unexpected Christmas Eve adventure and it blends family drama with fantasy. The emotional beats never feel forced and the film understands its audience. Visually the movie is energetic and the CGI elves feel strange but memorable. They add personality and help sell this version of the North Pole. The pacing works in the films favor keeping the story moving while allowing character moments to breathe and land naturally. The Christmas Chronicles ends up being a refreshing holiday surprise spirit.

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Chay G.

@Chay1 Dec 13

Favorite Christmas movie oat

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Laney S

@Laney97 Dec 12

Very good new invention of a Christmas movie. Thoroughly enjoyed it throughout. Would recommend to anyone bored of the same old tropes

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Nitro H.

@nitrohive Dec 11

I forgot to log this but I watched it on December 9th 2025, it was not that bad but didn’t really hook me that much, I think the whole special elements in this version was cool like the reindeer special power and the Santa power bat and all that stuff. Some stuff was like there was a part that didn’t make sense but it still wasn’t that bad.

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Clay Kaytis

Director

Kurt Russell

Santa Claus

Darby Camp

Kate Pierce

Judah Lewis

Teddy Pierce

Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Claire Pierce

Oliver Hudson

Doug Pierce

The Christmas Chronicles: Movie Clip - Kate and Teddy Catch Santa

2:04

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The Christmas Chronicles: Trailer 1

2:34

The Christmas Chronicles: Teaser Trailer 1

1:38

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Synopsis

Siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce hatch a scheme to capture Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. When the plan goes awry, the kids join forces with a somewhat jolly Saint Nick and his loyal elves to save the holiday before it's too late.

Director: Clay Kaytis
Producer: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, David Guggenheim, Adam Kolbrenner, Mark Radcliffe
Screenwriter: Matt Lieberman
Production Co: Cinesite Animation, 1492 Pictures, Ocean Blue Entertainment, Madhouse Entertainment
Rating: TV-PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Holiday, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 22, 2018
Runtime: 1h 44m

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