Santa Buddies (2009)

Directed by: Robert Vince | 85 minutes | animation, adventure, family | Actors: George Wendt, Christopher Lloyd, Craig Anton, Andrew Astor, Charisse Baker, Nico Ghisi, Ryan Grantham, Ellie Harvey, Quinn Lord, Sophia Ludwig, Isabella Montes, Gig Morton, Danny Woodburn | Original voice cast: Tom Bosley, Field Cate, Tim Conway, Chris Coppola, Josh Flitter, Skyler Gisondo, Zachary Gordon, Richard Kind, Kaitlyn Maher, Liliana Mumy, Ty Panitz

We no longer have to look up to talking animals: not only in animated form but also real animals “see” we talk through CGI. Sometimes the result is still nice (‘Men in Black II’), but much more often it is cringe-inducing and the humor barely rises above the level of Andre van Duin’s “Animal Crackers”. Fortunately, the series about the Golden Retriever puppies has so far been a positive exception. However, that is largely due to the target group for which the films are made: children from about four to about seven years of age enjoy the crazy antics of the five Buddies. Previously released ‘Air Buddies’ (2006), ‘Snow Buddies’ (2008) and ‘Space Buddies’ (2009). In it, gourmand Bolle (Budderball), hip-hopper Bink (B-Dawg), tough Rosie (Rosebud), Buddha, the Zen dog, and Modder (MudBud), whose name speaks volumes, respectively, save their parents from a kidnapping. on a dog sled race in Alaska and they traveled to the moon. The series is a spin-off of the film series ‘Air Bud’, in which father Buddy played a leading role.

It was to be expected: ‘Santa Buddies’ is the inevitable Christmas movie in the series. Christmas is not going well. Santa (George Wendt) and his trusty dog ​​(!) Santa Paw (Santa Paws) are seriously worried, because the icicle that contains all the Christmas magic is melting. When Santa Paw’s son, Puppy Paw, dissatisfied with his life in the North Pole, decides he wants to be a regular dog, things take a turn for the worse with the Christmas magic. Something has to happen quickly: more people and children have to start believing in the true Christmas spirit, otherwise this could be the last Christmas! By hiding in eleven Eli’s (Danny Woodburn) truck, Puppy Paw ends up in the town of Fernfield, where the five Buddies also happen to live. Puppy Paw goes looking for Bolle, because he saw it in Santa’s “naughty” book (because Bolle ate the Thanksgiving turkey). Puppy Paw thinks that Bolle is exactly the dog that can teach him how to be a normal dog. Bolle introduces Puppy Paw to his brothers and sister, but Puppy Paw only causes the puppies even more trouble and Puppy Paw is sent away again. He doesn’t get very far though, because the dog catcher Stan Cruge (even if you spell it differently, it still sounds like Scrooge!) (played by Christopher Lloyd) captures him and puts him in his shelter. At the shelter, Puppy Paw finds out what Christmas really means. Can the Buddies save him and thus ensure the celebration of Christmas?

To ask the question is to answer it in a movie like this. For children, this Christmas film may be nice to get in the mood, but there isn’t much to recommend it. The exclamations of ‘buddies’ and ‘gabbers’ are not uncommon, the sets – especially in the outdoor scenes at the North Pole – are downright sad and the CGI is so bad that it looks like a group of trainees have been put to work. The animals often just stand still, or make simple movements: in any case, it doesn’t seem convincing or natural. In addition to being meager, the story is also confusing. Why do the puppies first have to deliver presents with the Christmas sleigh, without Santa but with Puppy Paw, after which Santa does everything all over again? Also notable is that, predictable as it is, the storyline about the dog catcher and the sick boy whose dearest wish (a puppy for Christmas) is eventually fulfilled by Cruge is more impressive than the whole “melt the magic icicle-it is”. a disaster-red Christmas plot. ‘Santa Buddies’ looks messy and unfinished; there’s just little effort put into making it something. Getting children into the Christmas spirit is fine, and the message of this film should also be hammered into it, but there are plenty of better alternatives to be found than this bad product. To find these, parents only have to put in a little more effort than the filmmakers.