The Claus Family 2 Parent Guide

A year after discovering that his grandfather Noel (Jan Decleir) is Santa Claus, Jules (Mo Bakker) is ready to take his place as the new Santa, helping his grandfather deliver gifts to children all over the world. Jules receives a letter from a little girl, Marie (Jasmina Fall), with a heartbreaking wish; for her recently divorced parents to get back together. Noel says that’s not a wish that Santa can fulfill, but Jules won’t rest until he tries.

I found the original Claus Family to be boring and bland, though surprisingly devoid of negative content. The sequel is much of the same. The story is boring and slow, with very little in the way of laughs or excitement. Many of the characters are either annoying or one-dimensional, making it hard to root for anyone. The plot is underwritten and confusing, with a lot of back and forth between locations for no reason. The climax of the film finds Jules choosing to go into a burning building to rescue a child, even though firefighters are already on scene. He is then lauded as a hero. Maybe we shouldn’t be encouraging children to go into smoke-heavy burning buildings? Just a thought.

Though slow and boring, the messages are overall sweet and festive. Marie’s parents learn to set aside their differences and be civil with each other for the sake of their daughter. Noel learns to embrace love and vulnerability, and Jules learns the importance of always trying, even when the odds are against you. I do appreciate that the writers didn’t go down the easy road and have the divorced parents get back together, but instead learn to be a family in two homes.

For a clean, simple Christmas story, The Claus Family 2 does the job, but there are far more entertaining options that explore the same themes.