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While it's missing some of the magic of the original, The Christmas Chronicles 2 serves up a sweet second helping of holiday cheer that makes the most of its marvelously matched leads. Read critic reviews
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Watch The Christmas Chronicles 2 with a subscription on Netflix.
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The Christmas Chronicles 2 videos
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Movie Info
Teenager Kate Pierce is reunited with Santa Claus when a troublemaker threatens to cancel Christmas -- forever.
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Rating: PG (Brief Language|Mild Action/Violence)
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Genre: Kids & family, Holiday, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
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Original Language: English
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Director: Chris Columbus
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Producer: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe
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Writer: Chris Columbus, Matt Lieberman
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Release Date (Theaters): limited
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Netflix
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Production Co: 1492 Pictures
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for The Christmas Chronicles 2
Critic Reviews for The Christmas Chronicles 2
Audience Reviews for The Christmas Chronicles 2
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I feel like I've been making this argument a lot lately, but I'll say it one more time for the sake of this review. Christmas movies, especially when it comes to stories based around Santa Claus, seem to be very few and far between. Back in 2018 when The Christmas Chronicles hit Netflix, I found myself really enjoying the light tone and good-heartedness of the entire film from start to finish. For that reason alone I was looking forward to continuing the mythology that was explored. Well, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two has now hit Netflix and while there are some very fun, family adventure to be had, it has definitely lost a bit of the magic that made the first one so enjoyable. As soon as this film began, I started rolling my eyes, wondering just how low it was going to sink after the first scene. Starting with a mysterious young man as it's very clear that his goal is to stop Santa and cancel Christmas, I found myself wondering why yet another holiday film was using a story like this. To the film's credit, there were multiple times where it proved me wrong and actually had a decent backstory for why certain things were happening, but it wasn't to the point that it changed my mind. I still found this film to be incredibly lacklustre in terms of storytelling. Where this film does soar, just like the first film, is in the wonderful casting of Kurt Russell as Santa. This time around, the kids from the first film are a little older and more mature as performers. I found that to be a breath of fresh air, especially when re-aqauiting themselves with Santa. With the addition of young Jahzir Bruno and a much more significant role for Goldie Hawn, there wasn't much to complain about in terms of the cast. Although, Tyrese Gibson plays a very small role here as a new father-figure type and I just didn't buy him as that character at all. I like him as an actor, but I don't think his performance fits this film. So as far as watching a likeable cast goes, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two hits a home run for the most part, especially when looking at it as a holiday film that was dropped on Netflix. Diving deeper into why this film didn't work all that well for me; I must admit that its predecessor had a very firm grasp on pace. The first film is nearly 15 minutes shorter than this one and has a much more meaningful story to tell. Sure, there are some very nice character moments and a little time travelling portion that put a little smile on my face, but it just wasn't enough throughout this nearly two-hour film to win me over. Another thing this film does is feel the need to repeat some of the best moments. The first film had a great, fun karaoke sequence that morphs into a flat-out musical number this time, which was fun, but the screenplay just felt like it took story beats from the first movie that worked and tried to inject a few new elements. In the end, I think what frustrated me the most about this sequel was the fact that the story of the first film was so enjoyable and I loved the world they put together, that this film really didn't do much with any of that. It instead took a very standard villain premise and ran with it. Although the first one didn't have me shouting to the rooftops that people desperately need to see it, I still had some mild expectations for this one and I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a little letdown. If you loved the first film, you'll probably find some enjoyment here, as I did, but it just didn't work as an overall standalone film or great sequel to me. So you can take that as a very, very loose recommendation from me if you've seen its predecessor. The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two is now streaming on Netflix.
KJ P Super Reviewer
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