‘Arthur Christmas’ your best bet this holiday

IF you’re
looking for an enjoyable
 Christmas comedy, then ‘Arthur Christmas’
 is probably
your best bet between now and the end of the holidays.

The most recent
film by Aardman Productions does
 not have the same classic brilliance as
‘Wallace and Gromit’ (their most
 successful offering to date) but it is still
one of the better children’s Christmas
 releases in recent years.

The appeal of
this film is enhanced by its 3D format and the realistic graphics and visual
effects will
appeal to adults and children alike.

The film begins
on Christmas Eve when hundreds of elves and Santa are readying themselves to
deliver the
presents. However, the older of Santa’s two sons, power-hungry
and 
controlling Steven (voiced by Hugh Laurie), is making Christmas
an
increasingly business-like affair and caring less about the children 
getting
the presents.

In an unusual
twist, we see Christmas turning 
high-tech. Santa delivers the presents by the
means of a spacecraft. Unfortunately, due to a technical hitch, one present
goes undelivered on
 Christmas night.

Santa’s second
son, a clumsy but endearing boy called 
Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy),
attempts to rectify this mistake and ensure
 that every child gets a present
from Santa on Christmas Day.

The
remainder 
of the film sees Arthur transform into a likeable hero, as he, along
with
his bad-tempered but frequently hilarious granddad (Grand Santa, voiced
by 
Bill Nighy), attempts to get the present to its destination before
Christmas
 morning.

This adventure
is made even funnier by the presence of a highly
 amusing Scottish elf, Bryony
(Ashley Jensen). This feel-good film combines a festive atmosphere with easily
accessible humour and a great
soundtrack to boot.

There’s good
mix of things to like about this film. Will be
enjoyed by undemanding children
– and easily amused adults – looking for a cheerful and festive film before the
kids go back to school and Christmas 2011 is all but forgotten.