The Christmas Chronicles 2 parents guide

The Christmas Chronicles 2 Parent Guide

This movie is bonkers in a very good way.

Overall B+

Netflix: A bitter elf is trying to destroy the North Pole and it's up to two kids and Santa to stop him.

Release date November 25, 2020

Violence B
Sexual Content A
Profanity A
Substance Use A

Why is The Christmas Chronicles 2 rated PG? The MPAA rated The Christmas Chronicles 2 PG for mild action/violence and brief language.

Run Time: 112 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Two years after her first adventure with Santa Claus (Kurt Russell), Kate (Darby Camp) is spending the holidays in Cancun with her family, much to her displeasure. While attempting to run away, Kate and Jack (Jahzir Bruno), the son of her mom’s boyfriend, are thrown into a wormhole that takes them to the North Pole. Once there, they discover that a trouble making ex-elf named Belsnickel (Julian Dennison) is trying to ruin Christmas by taking away the Star of Bethlehem that powers the North Pole. Along with Santa and Mrs. Claus (Goldie Hawn), Kate and Jack must do everything they can to stop Belsnickel and save Christmas.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have not yet seen the original Christmas Chronicles, but after seeing the sequel I’m thinking I might have to go back and watch it this season. Sometimes in life the universe knows what we need before we do, and this is one of those times. The universe has graciously given us Santa Kurt Russell wearing sunglasses and playing a saxophone. In the instant this glorious image graced my television, my seasonal depression was lifted and my skin was cleared. Saxophone Kurt Russell is the hero we need right now.

This movie is bonkers, and I mean that in a good way. Let’s start with the positives. Kurt Russell is absolutely killing it as Santa. He is having so much fun and you can see it on screen. The messages being portrayed are positive overall. Belsnickel learns to let go of selfishness and envy, Kate learns to accept and love her new family, and she also learns that running away doesn’t solve problems. There are also very few content concerns, aside from a few frightening scenes, which makes it a great choice for most families.

As far as the negatives go, you do need to turn your brain off and just enjoy the ride. There are a few plot points that come out of nowhere, and the entire premise falls apart if you apply logic to it, but I find that to be the case with almost every Santa-centric flick. The runtime feels long, and there are some bits in the middle that drag. Tighter editing would have been prudent here. The elves are a mixture of cute and annoying and feel very much like Minion rip-offs as they waddle around speaking gibberish and getting into shenanigans. I wouldn’t call this a great movie, but it’s fun enough to be passable.

Overall, The Christmas Chronicles 2 is a decent Christmas film with positive messages and some fun sequences. With limited content concerns, I’d say it’s a safe choice for a family movie night, and just might help to get you in the holiday spirit.

Directed by Chris Columbus. Starring Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, and Goldie Hawn. Running time: 112 minutes. Theatrical release November 25, 2020. Updated

Watch the trailer for The Christmas Chronicles 2

The Christmas Chronicles 2
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Christmas Chronicles 2 rated PG? The Christmas Chronicles 2 is rated PG by the MPAA for mild action/violence and brief language.

Violence: Some scenes could be considered frightening, including a large wild cat attacking and injuring reindeer, people falling from heights, and a drone shooting fireballs. Santa’s elves are given a magic substance that causes them to act out, including punching, biting, kicking, throwing, and setting off small bombs. Two children almost freeze and are shown covered in frost and not moving. Elves shoot arrows at Santa; one pierces his backside. Exploding cookies are used in fights. No blood or substantial injuries are shown.
Sexual Content: A married couple kiss.
Profanity: A handful of minor insults, such as stupid, suck, and brat. A couple of uses of terms of deity.
Alcohol / Drug Use: A teen boy says, “I know, no alcohol” when his mom is going to leave him alone for a day.

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The Christmas Chronicles 2 Parents' Guide

Why does Kate want to run away? How does she feel about her mom being in a new relationship? What does she learn that help her to accept those feelings and move past them?
What does Belsnickel do that cause him to become human? How does he overcome those mistakes?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

Kids help Santa fight some nefarious elves in Santa Calls by William Joyce. Sue Fliess and Simona Sanfilippo have helpful advice for kids who want to find out if they’re on the naughty or nice list in How to Trick a Christmas Elf.

Elise Primavera puts a gender twist on the story in her magical picture book, Auntie Claus. In Mrs. Claus Takes the Reins, Santa’s better half comes to the rescue when he gets sick on Christmas Eve.

For a Santa story with a twist, you can read The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Harold by Maureen Fergus and Cale Atkinson.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Christmas Chronicles 2 movie is November 25, 2020. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

Kurt Russell originates his turn as Saint Nick in The Christmas Chronicles. Tim Allen also plays the jolly old elf in The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2, and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.