The Santa Clause 2

The Santa Clause 2

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Lembeck
Produced by Robert Newmyer
Brian Reilly
Jeffrey Silver
Written by Don Rhymer
Cinco Paul
Ken Daurio
Ed Decter
John J. Strauss
Based on Characters created 
by Leo Benvenuti
Steve Rudnick
Karey Kirkpatrick
Starring Tim Allen
Eric Lloyd
Elizabeth Mitchell
Judge Reinhold
Wendy Crewson
David Krumholtz
Liliana Mumy
Spencer Breslin
Music by George S. Clinton
Cinematography Adam Greenberg
Edited by David Finfer
Edward A. Warschilka
Production
company
Walt Disney Pictures
Outlaw Productions
Boxing Cat Films
Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release dates
  • November 1, 2002 (2002-11-01)
Running time
 104 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $65 million[1]
Box office $172.9 million[1]

The Santa Clause 2 (also known as The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause) is a 2002 American Christmas romantic comedy-drama film directed by Michael Lembeck. It is the second installment in The Santa Clause trilogy following The Santa Clause. It was filmed in the Canadian cities of Vancouver and Calgary. All the principal actors from the first film reprise their roles, except for Peter Boyle, who returns portraying a different minor character. According to Box Office Mojo, the film cost around $65 million to make and had domestic (U.S. & Canada) box office receipts approaching $139 million. The film was followed by a sequel, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, released in 2006.

Plot

Eight years have gone by since Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) first took up the Santa Claus suit, and became subject to The Santa Clause. Now Santa is at the top of his game at the North Pole and could not be happier, at least until Bernard (David Krumholtz) and Curtis (Spencer Breslin), the Keeper of the Handbook of Christmas break the news that there is another clause - the "Mrs. Clause".

Santa/Scott is now pressed to get married before the next Christmas Eve, or the clause will be broken and Christmas will die away. At the same time, Abby the Elf (Danielle Woodman) delivers news that is more distressing; Santa's own son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) is on the naughty list. It then cuts to Charlie one night defacing the walls of the school gymnasium from the skywindow until he is caught by Principal Carol Newman (Elizabeth Mitchell). Scott must return to his home to search for a wife and set things right with Charlie. He even brings this up when visited by the Council of Legendary Figures consisting of Mother Nature (Aisha Tyler), Father Time (Peter Boyle), Cupid (Kevin Pollak), the Easter Bunny (Jay Thomas), the Tooth Fairy (Art LaFleur) and the Sandman (Michael Dorn).

To cover for Santa's prolonged absence, Curtis helps Santa create a life-size toy replica of Santa, much to Bernard's horror, and Bernard reluctantly tells the other elves that Santa had a change of looks, so they won't question the Toy Santa's different appearance. However, the larger-than-life legalist cannot find any grace or slack in his plastic heart for minor infractions by children the world over, having followed the Handbook too strictly. Toy Santa takes control of the North Pole with a duplicated army of life-size toy soldiers. He thinks that everyone is naughty, and he plans to give the entire world lumps of coal. Bernard cracks and exposes Toy Santa as a fraud, but is placed under house arrest by the soldiers.

Because of the impending end of his contract, Scott undergoes a "de-Santafication process" which gradually turns him back into Scott Calvin. He has a limited amount of magic to help him. Scott attempts to reconcile with Charlie, who keeps vandalizing his school to get attention. He and Charlie both hit the cold hard wall of Principal Carol Newman when Charlie defaces the lockers.

Charlie confesses to Scott how hard it is for him that Scott is never around like other fathers, and reveals the stress he is under to conceal the secret that his father is Santa. Scott vows to try harder as a dad, and he and Charlie reconcile.

After a few failed dates, Scott finds himself falling for Carol. He accompanies her in a sleigh to their school faculty Christmas party, which turns out to be dull and boring. Using a little of his Christmas magic, Scott livens up the party by presenting everyone with their childhood dream gifts (much as he did for Laura and Neil in the first film). He makes a special presentation to Carol, and, with his last remnant of magic, wins her over and they kiss passionately. However, she balks when he attempts to explain he is Santa, believing that Scott is mocking her childhood, until Charlie manages to convince her by showing her his magic snow globe.

Curtis flies in to deliver the dreadful news about the Evil Toy Santa's coal binge. However, Scott has used up the last of his magic wooing Carol and Comet has eaten too many chocolate bars. With a little help from the Tooth Fairy, Scott and Curtis return to the North Pole. Toy Santa wastes no time in subduing Scott, but Charlie and a now-believing Carol spring him free by summoning the Tooth Fairy to fly them there. Scott goes after the Toy Santa, who has already left with the sleigh, riding Chet, a reindeer-in-training, and they both crash back into the village. With an army of elves, Carol, Bernard, Charlie and Curtis lead a snowball war to overthrow the toy soldiers. Toy Santa is reduced to his normal six-inch height, Scott marries Carol in a ceremony presided over by Mother Nature herself, Scott transforms back to Santa, and Christmas proceeds as it always has and Scott and Carol have a three month honeymoon to go on the next day. In addition, Scott and Charlie reveal the truth to Lucy (Liliana Mumy), Charlie's younger half-sister (the daughter of Laura and Neil) about Scott being Santa Claus so she is now in on the secret.

Cast

Soundtrack

Original Release Date: November 1, 2002

Critical reception

The Santa Clause 2 received mixed reviews from critics, garnering a 54% "rotten" critical approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes, as opposed to the 75% "certified fresh" rating of the first film. The site's consensus is that "Though it's harmless as family entertainment and has moments of charm, The Santa Clause 2 is also predictable and forgettable." [2]

The Santa Clause 2 was nominated for Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film, but lost to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Home media

The film was released on DVD and VHS on November 18, 2003. It was re-released as 3-Movie Collection DVD set in 2007 and first released as a 3-Movie Collection Blu-ray set on October 16, 2012.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Santa Clause 2 (2002) - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  2. ↑ "The Santa Clause 2 - The Mrs. Clause". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2012-01-01.

External links

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