SANTA
CLAUSE 2 ($30) is an enjoyable holiday sequel that will probably
appeal to the kids a bit more than their parents. As an adult, I can
honestly say that it was the originality of THE SANTA CLAUSE that
made the first film fun and magical. By the very nature of being a sequel,
SANTA CLAUSE 2 doesn’t cast quite the same magical spell as the
first film, but the kids are certain to enjoy it- year after year. The
plot of SANTA CLAUSE 2 finds Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) several years
into his inherited duties as Santa Claus. While things may seem quite
jolly up at the North Pole just days before Christmas, a few minor details
creep up that could put the kybosh on Scott’s tenure as Kris Kringle.
First
of all, Scott didn’t read the really, really fine print of "The
Santa Clause", which requires him to married within a certain
period of time- in essence there is a "Mrs. Clause,"
which leaves Scott a mere matter of days to find a bride or lose the
position of Santa Claus forever. Second, Scott learns that his son Charlie
(Eric Lloyd) has managed to get himself on the "Naughty List,"
which makes Scott feel that he may have been delinquent in his parenting
duties while up at the North Pole. As expected, Scott is forced to return
to civilization to do a bit of parenting and find himself a wife, while
leaving a mechanical toy Santa in his place to keep up morale and
appearances for the elves- which turns out to be a very bad idea. The cast
of SANTA CLAUSE 2 also features Elizabeth Mitchell, David Krumholtz,
Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Spencer Breslin, Art LaFleur, Aisha Tyler,
Kevin Pollak, Jay Thomas, Peter Boyle and Michael Dorn.
Walt
Disney Home Entertainment has made SANTA CLAUSE 2 available on DVD
in a 1.85:1 wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic
enhancement for 16:9 displays. Not surprisingly, SANTA CLAUSE 2
sports a terrific looking transfer that gives one very little to quibble
about. The image is wonderfully sharp and sports excellent definition.
Colors are bright, fully saturated and vibrant. Additionally, flesh tones
are highly appealing. There are no signs of chroma noise or smearing to
detract from the fine reproduction of the holiday hues. Blacks appear
inky, whites are pure and contrast is excellent. Shadow detail is just
fine throughout. The film element use for the transfer is virtually
perfect, without any appreciable defects. Digital compression artifacts
maintain a low profile.
SANTA
CLAUSE 2 comes with a good sounding Dolby Digital 5.1 channel
soundtrack. Considering that this is a family comedy without much action,
the sound design is a bit on the subdued side. Surrounds kick to life
during key moments, but usually provide ambient sound and musical fill.
The forward soundstage has nice channel separation, with the center
providing clear, crisp sounding dialogue. Fidelity is very good for the
musical component and to create convincing sound effects. French and
Spanish 5.1 channel tracks are also provided, as are English subtitles.
Full
motion video, animation and sound serve to enhance the DVD's interactive
menus. Through the menus, one has access to standard scene selection and
set up features, as well as some nice supplements. Director Michael
Lembeck is on hand to provide a running audio commentary that seems more
entertaining than technically minded. There are also seven deleted scenes
included on the DVD, along with introductions for said deleted scenes
provided by Michael Lembeck, plus a gag reel. The Director’s Tour
of Elfsberg is four-minute featurette that is a pure piece of
fluff for the kids, while the Making-of featurette is a
nine-minute look behind-the-scenes in a fluffy package. As for the True
Confessions Of The Legendary Figures, this three-minute featurette
focuses on some of the other notable characters appearing in the film. The
DVD also includes Operation Toy Box: Save Santa, an
interactive game for the kids. Bonus trailers include FREAKY FRIDAY,
THE LION KING 1 1/2, and SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER.
SANTA
CLAUSE 2 is a holiday film that the kids are certain to enjoy. The DVD
looks great and sounds just fine- making it a perfect stocking stuffer for
the kids.
SANTA
CLAUSE 2 ($30) is an enjoyable holiday sequel that will probably
appeal to the kids a bit more than their parents. As an adult, I can
honestly say that it was the originality of THE SANTA CLAUSE that
made the first film fun and magical. By the very nature of being a sequel,
SANTA CLAUSE 2 doesn’t cast quite the same magical spell as the
first film, but the kids are certain to enjoy it- year after year. The
plot of SANTA CLAUSE 2 finds Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) several years
into his inherited duties as Santa Claus. While things may seem quite
jolly up at the North Pole just days before Christmas, a few minor details
creep up that could put the kybosh on Scott’s tenure as Kris Kringle.
First
of all, Scott didn’t read the really, really fine print of "The
Santa Clause", which requires him to married within a certain
period of time- in essence there is a "Mrs. Clause,"
which leaves Scott a mere matter of days to find a bride or lose the
position of Santa Claus forever. Second, Scott learns that his son Charlie
(Eric Lloyd) has managed to get himself on the "Naughty List,"
which makes Scott feel that he may have been delinquent in his parenting
duties while up at the North Pole. As expected, Scott is forced to return
to civilization to do a bit of parenting and find himself a wife, while
leaving a mechanical toy Santa in his place to keep up morale and
appearances for the elves- which turns out to be a very bad idea. The cast
of SANTA CLAUSE 2 also features Elizabeth Mitchell, David Krumholtz,
Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Spencer Breslin, Art LaFleur, Aisha Tyler,
Kevin Pollak, Jay Thomas, Peter Boyle and Michael Dorn.
Walt
Disney Home Entertainment has made SANTA CLAUSE 2 available on DVD
in a 1.85:1 wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic
enhancement for 16:9 displays. Not surprisingly, SANTA CLAUSE 2
sports a terrific looking transfer that gives one very little to quibble
about. The image is wonderfully sharp and sports excellent definition.
Colors are bright, fully saturated and vibrant. Additionally, flesh tones
are highly appealing. There are no signs of chroma noise or smearing to
detract from the fine reproduction of the holiday hues. Blacks appear
inky, whites are pure and contrast is excellent. Shadow detail is just
fine throughout. The film element use for the transfer is virtually
perfect, without any appreciable defects. Digital compression artifacts
maintain a low profile.
SANTA
CLAUSE 2 comes with a good sounding Dolby Digital 5.1 channel
soundtrack. Considering that this is a family comedy without much action,
the sound design is a bit on the subdued side. Surrounds kick to life
during key moments, but usually provide ambient sound and musical fill.
The forward soundstage has nice channel separation, with the center
providing clear, crisp sounding dialogue. Fidelity is very good for the
musical component and to create convincing sound effects. French and
Spanish 5.1 channel tracks are also provided, as are English subtitles.
Full
motion video, animation and sound serve to enhance the DVD's interactive
menus. Through the menus, one has access to standard scene selection and
set up features, as well as some nice supplements. Director Michael
Lembeck is on hand to provide a running audio commentary that seems more
entertaining than technically minded. There are also seven deleted scenes
included on the DVD, along with introductions for said deleted scenes
provided by Michael Lembeck, plus a gag reel. The Director’s Tour
of Elfsberg is four-minute featurette that is a pure piece of
fluff for the kids, while the Making-of featurette is a
nine-minute look behind-the-scenes in a fluffy package. As for the True
Confessions Of The Legendary Figures, this three-minute featurette
focuses on some of the other notable characters appearing in the film. The
DVD also includes Operation Toy Box: Save Santa, an
interactive game for the kids. Bonus trailers include FREAKY FRIDAY,
THE LION KING 1 1/2, and SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER.
SANTA
CLAUSE 2 is a holiday film that the kids are certain to enjoy. The DVD
looks great and sounds just fine- making it a perfect stocking stuffer for
the kids.
