Arthur Christmas: Spirit and Social Commentary

For a children’s movie, Arthur Christmas poses a very thought-provoking question: can the generous spirit of Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent) withstand modern consumerism? With its amazing graphics, strong British voice acting, and clever social commentary, Arthur Christmas will remind all of us, especially adults, to reassess our consumerist, businesslike ethos.  As so many of us get too comfy working within institutions and meeting deadlines, we could all use a reminder of the Christmas spirit of generosity and kindness.

To most expediently reach the world in one night, Santa’s eldest son, Steve (Hugh Laurie) runs Christmas like a business operation. (He’s no joke–he wears camouflage with alternating red and green Christmas trees). After replacing Santa’s sleigh and reindeer with a SWAT team of elves, he delivers presents around the world in a sophisticated space shuttle. Santa has become nothing more than a figurehead, a drowsy schlub in a red suit who leaves everything up to Steve. However, even this foolproof operation comes to a halt when it fails to deliver one girl’s present. Enter Arthur (James McAvoy), Santa’s klutzy and overeager son, who is in charge of sorting through and responding to Santa’s mail. Because he fears heights and constantly trips all over himself, he is the laughingstock of the North Pole. Much to Arthur’s dismay, both Santa and Steve are willing to sweep this huge mistake under the rug. Just when Arthur is feeling so alone and helpless, the slightly senile but feisty Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) summons his old sleigh (named Evie) and eight reindeer to help deliver the gift.

Arthur Christmas features likable and well-developed characters. Of course, most of us identify with Arthur, whom no one really appreciates because he does not fit into the corporate scheme that North Pole has become. However, he just has so much heart that we can’t help but love him. One can even empathize with the “villain,” Steve, particularly because he resembles the hardworking salaryman who gets passed over for a promotion despite having done so much for his company. However, he is just way too dispassionate and awkward with children to be Santa. Santa struggles to gather enough passion and motivation to effectively lead the North Pole. Grandsanta, stripped of his sleigh and reindeer, mourns the mechanization of the holiday tradition.

By showcasing the power struggle among the Clauses, Arthur Christmas humanizes this family, often represented as a sugar-sweet bundle of joy. The Clauses are not exactly a harmonious bunch; in fact, they’re closer to dysfunctional. The Claus men often come off as hypocritical and greedy, especially when they fight over the board game piece of Santa Claus. Their dinner table is especially awkward and tension-ridden, with only Arthur making small talk and giving presents. Grandsanta reminisces about driving the sleigh, Santa refuses to accept that he’s a mere relic, and Steve grumbles that he has done everything for the company. The North Pole, in this manner, often mirrors the politics and competition within a high-powered corporation. 

However, Arthur realizes that it doesn’t matter how these presents are delivered, whether it be by an ultra-tech shuttle or an old-fashioned sleigh. Arthur is able to transcend the squabble between Grandsanta the traditionalist and Steve the technocrat. As he focuses on reaching the forgotten child, he transcends such petty squabbles and demonstrates magnanimity, passion, and true maturity, qualities that Santa should embody.

Instead of relying on cheap pop culture jokes and sexual innuendos, Arthur Christmas spreads the holiday cheer with clever jokes and strong voice acting. The elves have smart-phones called HoHo 3000, equipped with sophisticated GPS systems. Moreover, Nighy’s 136 year old Grandsanta truly steals the show. He recalls being mistaken for the enemy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he often refers to Steve as “a postman in a space ship.” In an effort to empower Arthur the underdog, the ultra old-school Grandsanta reminds him that people used to think they couldn’t teach women how to read. Laurie brings the perfect fusion of deadpan humor, arrogance, and awkwardness to portray Steve. With a convincing British accent, McAvoy radiates zeal and innocence as Arthur.

The only flaw of this film is that its plot and characters are not entirely original. We’ve already seen the Average Joe character with a heart of gold save the day. They must prove themselves worthy of existence to their community. However, Arthur Christmas humanizes these archetypes and the fantastical world so that we can see so much of ourselves and society in them. Parents will enjoy this, and young children will adore the adorable elves and beautiful reindeer.