A wholesome and progressive reworking of the themes of The Lion King, this Finnish/Irish animation can’t however compete with the likes of Disney, Pixar, or even smaller outfits like Laika in terms of the look and feel of the animation – but it does a decent job of exploring traditional fairytale dilemmas from a more modern angle. In the third in a series of film adventures, Niko is a young adolescent flying reindeer, desperate to join the elite team that pulls Santa’s sleigh; he’s also a nepo baby, with dad Prancer depending on him to uphold the family rep. Niko is expecting to waltz right into basic training with the squad, but the one spot available turns out to be contested by an outsider called Stella, whose own father turns out to have generational beef to settle.
This film contains many potentially useful lessons: fathers can be disappointing, friendship is more important than winning, mutual collaboration is better than a hidebound adherence to tradition. It’s an object lesson in the fact that the fine moral values one might want instil in the next generation are not necessarily the same thing as compelling dramatic conflict. If you have children, a conclusion involving forgiveness, reform and progress may be morally preferable to one involving bloodshed, vengeance and the divine right of kings – see Scar getting eaten by hyenas in The Lion King – but it may not knock too many kids’ socks off.
Perhaps it would have helped if the characterisation had been more distinctive but unfortunately the film relies mainly on stock types (plucky kid, pompous martinet, embittered outsider etc) rather than creating lovable heroes or charismatic boo-hissable villains. There’s not much in the way of witty dialogue either, although we’ll take earnest over the hectic quippery that mars too many family films. All in all, you can’t imagine it becoming one of those perennial Christmas films that kids clamour to rewatch time and again, but there’s no need to be embarrassed to sit your little angels down in front of this one to learn about the value of being a nice person/reindeer.
• The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh is in UK cinemas from 22 November.
