Fred Claus Is Comin' to Town

Friday November 9, 2007

Are you ready for Christmas? The first fully Christmas holiday movie is now playing in theaters. It still seems a little early to me, but the Christmas season is upon us, and so is Fred.

Fred Claus tells the story of Santa's brother. Living in St. Nick's very large shadow has given Fred a bad case of dejected sibling syndrome, but this year, Fred is sure he has a way to prove his own capability. Being the generous man that he is, Santa makes a deal to help Fred on the condition that Fred helps him at the North Pole first. In the end, though, this act of kindness may be one that Santa really lives to regret.

Rated PG (for mild language and some rude humor), Fred Claus may seem like a Christmas movie for the whole family. Exciting scenes at the North Pole, Christmas themes and characters like Santa's elves will definitely attract kids' attention, but the comedy and plot are not oriented toward young children. The movie does not cover the kid angle of the story, as other movies like The Santa Claus have, and I think that will end up hurting it at the box office and possibly disappointing some families.