Arthur Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve. The fire crackles enticingly in front of a jauntily decorated and oh-so-slightly crooked pine tree, which leans endearingly towards the flickering lick of flames. A tail of gold tinsel dangles from a wearily drooping branch, leaning into the catastrophically empty space beneath the tree. Empty, because this house still awaits the arrival of Santa’s youngest son, who is yet to complete his most urgent mission to date.

Arthur Christmas brings to life every child’s most confounding question: just how does Santa deliver 2 billion presents in one night? Hidden away in the depths of the North Pole lies the top-secret high-tech headquarters of Santa’s (Broadbent) workshop, which houses the comically dysfunctional Claus family and a literal army of Christmas elves. It’s a wonder that they managed to cobble together a Christmas dinner let alone co-ordinate a mass present exodus, but it is exactly this mission that young Arthur (McAvoy) must complete before sunrise.

A wealth of stars, including James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Eva Longoria, Joan Cusack, Michael Palin and Robbie Coltrane, all lend their voices to this hilarious, family-friendly comedy realised by the genius of Aardman Animations (who brought you The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!, Chicken Run, and Wallace & Gromit) and Sony Pictures Animation (the studio behind Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs).

This film is everything that can be expected of an Ardman classic. It’s cheesy, innocently comic and at time absolutely crackers (pun intended), but it is also absolutely worth watching for a slice of Christmas cheer and a feel good end to the year.

Georgie Rawson