Elliot the Littlest Reindeer Parent Guide

Elliot the miniature horse (voiced by Josh Hutcherson) lives in North Dakota at a petting zoo and reindeer training farm, where he spends his time working towards his ultimate goal: pulling Santa’s sleigh. Elliot doesn’t let his diminutive size deter him and listens as his friend Hazel the goat (voiced by Samantha Bee), spouts inspirational slogans. “Success trains. Failure complains.”

Despite Elliot’s optimistic outlook, all is not well at the petting zoo. Owner Walter (voiced by Rob Tinkler) is in the process of selling the farm to a foreign buyer with a disconcerting interest in the animals (and their potential tastiness). Then exciting news breaks…Blitzen is retiring from the North Pole reindeer squad and tryouts for a replacement are starting immediately. Now, Elliot just has to find a way to the North Pole and show everyone that “Dreamers dream big” and perform even better.

Adult moviegoers will not find the rest of the plot terribly interesting. There are few surprises here and not a lot of depth. The animation is flat and more appropriate to television than to the big screen: Pixar this isn’t. On the flip side, there aren’t any major negative issues either. There is some low-level cartoon violence, a few moments of minor peril, and a plot point that revolves around the magic cookies that help reindeer fly. They are a controlled substance at the North Pole and reindeer have been stealing and using them illegally. Other than that, parents need have no real worries with this show, which makes nodding off during the movie a low risk proposition.

Fortunately, Elliot the Littlest Reindeer compensates for its blandness with an abundance of positive messages. Elliot’s determination not to be pigeonholed and his fierce work ethic as he trains for his lofty goal are praiseworthy. And the movie contains messages about the need for teamwork and inclusion. Elliot’s friendship with Hazel also demonstrates the importance of courage and loyalty, which comes to the fore when the pair uncover a conspiracy at the North Pole. Despite the challenges posed by this dangerous situation, Elliot and Hazel repeatedly affirm, “If it’s important you’ll find a way. If not you’ll find an excuse.” Not a bad message for young viewers to take away from any film.