Arthur Christmas
Arthur Christmas (2011) is a vibrant animated family comedy that offers a fresh and humorous take on the legend of Santa Claus. Set at the North Pole, which operates as a high-tech, military-precision gift-delivery hub, the story centers on Arthur, Santa's earnest but clumsy youngest son. When a single child's present is accidentally overlooked in the massive Christmas Eve operation, Arthur, against the wishes of his technologically-minded older brother Steve and the current Santa, takes it upon himself to ensure no child is forgotten. Joined by his eccentric Grandsanta and a dedicated wrapping elf, Arthur embarks on a perilous, last-minute global dash to deliver the forgotten gift. The film masterfully blends slapstick humor with a touching narrative about family dynamics, the generational shift in leadership, and the enduring spirit of Christmas. It explores themes of duty, compassion, and the importance of every individual, presenting a charming adventure that highlights the belief that every child deserves a magical Christmas. With its engaging characters and imaginative plot, Arthur Christmas aims to entertain audiences of all ages during the holiday season.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe film features implied same-sex attraction and includes a brief, ambiguous kiss between two elves, which has led to speculation and discussion in parental reviews and fan communities. While director Sarah Smith clarified that the character Bryony's gender presentation was intended to be functional rather than traditionally feminine, the film subtly includes elements interpreted as LGBTQ representation by some viewers.
One elf character, Peter, is noted in fan communities and some reviews as displaying implied unrequited romantic interest in Santa's son, Steve, often exhibiting flirtatious behaviors that make Steve uncomfortable. Additionally, after Santa returns from his Christmas Eve rounds, two elves are seen briefly kissing. Due to the elves' androgynous appearance (short hair, similar outfits), the gender of these elves is open to interpretation by viewers, with some perceiving it as a same-sex kiss.
Violence
MediumArthur Christmas contains several instances of mild to medium cartoon violence and perilous situations typical of animated adventure films. These scenes generally lack graphic depictions or lasting harm, but include chases, minor explosions, and animal threats, which could be intense for very young viewers.
Arthur and Grandsanta are shot at with a shotgun by a man who mistakes their sleigh for a UFO, resulting in minor damage to the sleigh but no injury to the characters. In another scene, Grandsanta's old sleigh is destroyed by a Predator jet firing upon it over England, forcing the occupants to bail out and leading to an intense chase and explosion.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe movie includes several suspenseful and potentially frightening scenes, particularly for younger children. These involve moments of peril, high-speed chases, and animal aggression, though the outcomes are generally not graphic.
Arthur and Grandsanta's sleigh accidentally lands in the Serengeti, where they are confronted by frightened lions that growl aggressively and bare their teeth, creating a tense and menacing scene. A high-speed chase ensues when a Predator jet opens fire on Grandsanta's sleigh, leading to its destruction, which can be intense for young viewers.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe narrative features family tensions and generational clashes within the Claus family. Characters exhibit mild disrespect, stubbornness, and rebellious actions as part of the central conflict, particularly concerning differing approaches to the Christmas operation and leadership succession.
Grandsanta frequently displays a 'crotchety' and somewhat disrespectful attitude, often making 'inappropriate remarks' and defiantly retrieving his old sleigh against modern procedures. Steve Claus, Santa's eldest son, shows significant disrespect for his father's traditional methods, dismisses the importance of a single missed child as an 'acceptable margin of error,' and exhibits an arrogant, career-driven demeanor.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film focuses predominantly on the secular aspects of the Santa Claus mythos, attributing the 'magic' of Christmas to Santa's gift-delivery system rather than the birth of Jesus Christ. While some Christian elements like carols and a church are present, the movie largely omits explicit references to the Christian meaning of Christmas, leading some Christian reviewers to advise caution.
The narrative places a strong emphasis on believing in Santa Claus and the 'magic' of his modern, high-tech operation, suggesting that the spirit of Christmas itself hinges on successful gift delivery. Despite the presence of a small-town English church and snippets of spiritual Christmas carols in the background, the film makes no clear or explicit reference to Jesus Christ as the central meaning or origin of the Christmas holiday.
Romance and Sexual Content
LowRomantic and sexual content in the film is minimal and very mild. The most notable instance is a brief, ambiguous kiss between two background elf characters. There is no explicit sexual content, nudity, or graphic displays of affection.
Upon Santa's return from his delivery rounds, two elves are seen sharing a brief kiss. The androgynous appearance of the elves, with short hair and similar outfits, makes the gender of the individuals involved in the kiss open to interpretation. The film otherwise contains no instances of explicit sexual references or nudity.
Profanity
LowThe movie features very mild and infrequent coarse language. These instances are brief and not used in an aggressive or highly offensive manner, consistent with its family-friendly rating.
A nearly indistinguishable utterance of 'hell' (h---) can be heard in one instance. Other mild terms used infrequently include 'idiot' (spoken by Steve about Arthur) and 'ruddy' or 'Hell's berries' by Grandsanta.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThe film incorporates magical elements inherent to the traditional Santa Claus mythos, such as a flying sleigh powered by 'Aurora dust' and reindeer, and Santa's supernatural ability to deliver presents globally in one night. These are presented as fantasy aspects of Christmas and do not involve themes of witchcraft, sorcery, occult rituals, or demons.
Grandsanta utilizes his old 'magic sleigh,' Evie, propelled by 'Aurora dust' and a team of reindeer, to deliver the forgotten present to Gwen. The entire premise of Santa's worldwide present delivery in a single night is portrayed as a magical feat within the festive narrative, rather than being linked to any explicit occult practices.
Substance Use
LowSubstance use references are minor, mostly in comedic or passing contexts, and are not glorified or central to the plot. These instances involve mentions of alcohol but no depiction of active abuse.
Grandsanta is shown to have a liquor trolley positioned next to his armchair in his living quarters at the North Pole. Grandsanta also humorously (and perhaps inappropriately) suggests that in his day, a 'dab of whiskey on the lips' was used to keep children quiet if they woke up during gift delivery.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Arthur Christmas is generally suitable for children aged 7 and older. While rated PG for mild rude humor, younger children may find some intense action sequences, peril, and thematic discussions of family conflict and implied LGBTQ elements to be slightly unsettling or require parental discussion. The movie's themes of family values and the Christmas spirit are positive for this age group.
Additional Notes
The content profile of 'Arthur Christmas' (2011) remains consistent across its theatrical release and home video versions, as no later installments, sequels, or adaptations significantly introduce new or intensified content that would alter these parental guidance concerns. Discrepancies in severity ratings across different review outlets are noted, particularly for violence and sexual content, where a higher reasonable rating has been adopted where applicable, to prioritize caution for parents.
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