Arthur Christmas (2011)

Plot

Set on Christmas Eve, the film opens with hundreds of elves helming the command centre of Santa's mile-wide,[6] ultra–high-tech sleigh, the S-1. Santa and the elves deliver presents to every child in the world using advanced equipment and military precision. These complex operations are micromanaged by Santa's oldest son Steve and his obsequious elfin assistant Peter (amongst thousands of more elves) at mission control underneath the North Pole, while Steve's clumsy and panophobic younger brother Arthur answers the letters to Santa. During a delivery operation, when a child wakes up and almost sees Santa, an elf back in the S-1 inadvertently presses a button, causing a present to fall off a conveyor and go unnoticed.

Having completed his 70th mission, Santa is portrayed as far past his prime and whose role in field operations now is largely symbolic. Nonetheless, he is held in high esteem, and delivers a congratulatory speech to the enraptured elves. Much to Steve's frustration, who has long anticipated succeeding his father, Santa announces he looks forward to his 71st. During their family Christmas dinner, Arthur's suggestion for the family to play a board game degenerates into a petty quarrel between Santa and Steve, while Grand-Santa, bored by retirement, resentfully criticises their over-modernisation. Distraught, the various family members leave the dinner table. When Arthur humbly compliments Steve that he believes he will be a great Santa Claus, Steve rudely dismisses Arthur's overture; later, their father shares with Mrs. Claus his grave doubts about his self-identity should he retire.

Meanwhile, an elf named Bryony finds the missed present—a wrapped bicycle that has yet to be delivered—and alerts Steve and his elf-assistant to the problem. Arthur is alarmed when he recognises the present as a gift for Gwen, a little girl to whom he had personally replied. Arthur alerts his father, who is at a loss as to how to handle the situation; Steve argues that one missed present out of billions is an acceptable error whose correction can wait a few days. Grand-Santa, on the other hand, proposes delivering the gift using Evie, his old wooden sleigh, and the descendants of the original eight reindeer, forcefully whisking away a reluctant Arthur and a stowaway Bryony. They get lost, lose reindeer, and land in danger several times, ultimately being mistaken for aliens and causing an international military incident. Through all this, Arthur eventually learns to his compounding disappointment that Grand-Santa's true motive is to fulfil his ego, that Steve refuses to help them out of petty resentment, and that his own father has gone to bed, apparently content.

Finally, stranded in Cuba after losing the sleigh, Arthur renews his sense of purpose—that it all comes down to preventing a child's disappointment—and with Grand-Santa's help manages to recover the sleigh. Meanwhile, the elves grow increasingly alarmed at rumours of this neglected delivery and the Clauses' unthinkable indifference, sending them into a panic. In response, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Steve take the high-tech sleigh to deliver a superior present—to the wrong child. Santa's navigation error and Steve's mishandling of the mistaken identity throw into sharp relief their intentions against those of Arthur.

After much difficulty, and ultimately with Mrs. Claus' and Bryony's help, all the male Clauses arrive at Gwen's house before she awakens, only to have all but Arthur quarrel about who gets to actually place the gift. Noticing that only Arthur truly cares about the girl's feelings, the elder Clauses collectively realise that he is the sole worthy successor. As a result, Santa gives Arthur the honour and Steve forfeits his birthright to his brother. In a fitting conclusion, Gwen glimpses a snow-bearded Arthur in a wind-buffeted sweater just before vanishing into the night.

With the crisis resolved, Santa goes into a happy retirement with Mrs. Claus; he also becomes grand-Santa's much-desired new companion. Meanwhile, Steve finds true contentment as Chief Operating Officer while Bryony is promoted to Vice-President of Packing. In a nod to traditionalism once neglected, the high-tech S-1 is re-christened EVIE and refitted to be pulled by a 5000-reindeer team—led by the original eight reindeer, all of whom managed to return safely via innate homing abilities. Finally, Arthur happily guides the entire enterprise in the proper spirit as the new Santa.

Cast

James McAvoy as Arthur, good-natured but clumsy younger son of Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Hugh Laurie as Steve, Santa and Mrs. Claus' elder son and Arthur's cool and incredibly capable, but cynical, older brother.

Bill Nighy as Grand-Santa, Santa's 136 year old cranky father who dislikes the modern world, and grandfather of Steve and Arthur.

Jim Broadbent as Malcom "Santa" Claus, the affable but incompetent guy in charge at the North Pole, Mrs. Claus' husband and Steve's and Arthur's father.

Imelda Staunton as Margaret Claus, Santa's dedicated wife and Steve's and Arthur's mother.

Ashley Jensen as Bryony, elf from the Giftwrap Battalion.

Marc Wootton as Peter, Steve's assistant elf.

Laura Linney as North Pole Computer

Eva Longoria as Chief De Silva

Ramona Marquez as Gwen, the girl whose present Arthur must deliver.

Michael Palin as Ernie Clicker

Sanjeev Bhaskar as Lead Elf

Robbie Coltrane as Lead Elf

Joan Cusack as Lead Elf

Rhys Darby as Lead Elf

Jane Horrocks as Lead Elf

Iain McKee as Lead Elf

Andy Serkis as Lead Elf

Dominic West as Lead Elf

Directed by

Sarah Smith

Produced by

Steve Pegram

Written by

Peter Baynham

Sarah Smith

Starring

James McAvoy

Hugh Laurie

Bill Nighy

Jim Broadbent

Imelda Staunton

Ashley Jensen

Marc Wootton

Laura Linney

Eva Longoria

Ramona Marquez

Michael Palin

Music by

Harry Gregson-Williams

Cinematography

Jericca Cleland

Editing by

John Carnochan

James Cooper

Studio

Aardman Animations

Sony Pictures Animation

Distributed by

Columbia Pictures

Release date(s)

November 11, 2011 (United Kingdom)

November 23, 2011 (United States)

Running time

97 minutes

Country

United Kingdom

United States

Language

English

Verhaal

Arthur houdt van alles wat met kerst te maken heeft, sterker nog: hij is de enige in zijn familie die nog steeds is gefascineerd door de ware magie van dit feest. En dat wil wat zeggen, want hij is de zoon van de kerstman! Zijn broer Steve heeft het kerstgebeuren de efficiëntie van een militaristische operatie meegegeven, terwijl de kerstman zelf alleen maar dénkt dat hij de boel runt...