The Santa Clause 2 Review

You're listening to the decaf radio network of

podcast Somewhere in the Arctic Hold it! I'm

getting something on the sonar! Dwells a legend

I'm getting strong readings from the cap rock,

sir! Waiting for the day What is it? He'll come

to town. He's the greatest Santa the world has

ever known. I love what you guys do, taking it

outside the box. Thanks, Santa. You're the man.

You better give me the big belly. He's made his

list and checked it twice, but he forgot to read...

The single most important detail in the history

of Christmas! The fine print. I've got to get

married? Yes. It's... Mrs. Claus. I don't think

there's a woman out there that doesn't want a

piece of this. Hello and welcome to the 77th

episode of MWIRE brought to you by the GeekCast

Radio Network. I am your host, EoGeoMike, and

joining me once again is Tara, aka Risingstar.

Hello. Hey. Yes, and in episode 76, we completely

forgot to mention this. Episode 76 was your first

time on Movie Week in Review. Yup. Yes, I know

another podcast you get to hear me on Yes. Oh,

yes, we we're going to be using you in a lot

of stuff coming up I'm excited Yeah, I I wanted

to find someone who cuz we've got a kick these

Santa Claus movies out in time for Christmas

and I wanted to find someone who has seen them

and who can actually talk about them and So that's

why Tara's here. Because if Kevin Optimus Solo

Thompson was here, well, he would probably be

trashing the films because he doesn't like Tim

Allen. Don't hate on Tim Allen. Not cool. That's

the best Tim Allen. Home improvement was the

bomb. Yes from home improvement and today We

are going to be continuing the the Santa Claus

trilogy with the Santa Claus to the mrs. Claus

When did you first see this one? I? Saw it probably

I'm pretty sure I did go to see it in theaters

when it came out I was a little bit old I was

a little bit older so came out in 2002 so I definitely

did go see it in theaters Yeah, and I really

enjoyed seeing it I don't know if this is one

I saw. I know I didn't see one or three in theaters.

I know I didn't see one or three in theaters.

And it surprises me how old one is. Oh, 1994.

Yeah, I could have sworn it came out... Like

later? Yeah, like 98, 99, but... Looking back

on it and looking back on all the home improvement,

not all the home improvement references that

are in the first film, but just those two with

the tool belts and stuff. Looking back on that,

it's like, okay, yeah, that makes sense because

home improvement was on back then. So yeah. Santa

Claus 2 also known as or the Santa Claus 2 also

known as Santa Claus 2 or the Santa Claus 2 the

Mrs. Claus is a 2002 American fantasy romantic

comedy film and a sequel to the 1994 film the

Santa Claus All the principal actors from the

first film reprised their roles, except for Peter

Boyle, who returns portraying another character

in a minor role. According to the box office

mojo, the film cost around $65 million to make

and had domestic U .S. box office receipts approaching

$139 million. Well, at least it made its money

back. The film was followed by another sequel,

Santa Claus 3, which we'll talk about later.

It was made in 2006. The latter film is the last

installment of the series. Do you want to take

some of the plot here? Sure. Do you want me to

read the beginning? Yeah, sure. We'll just start

at the beginning and then we'll just all interrupt

you at some point with favorite scenes or whatever.

Sure. So it's been eight years since Scott Calvin

first took up the Santa Claus suit and became

the subject, which became subject to the Santa

Claus. Now he's at the top of his game at the

North Pole and he couldn't be happier. At least

until Bernard and Curtis, the keeper of the handbook

of Christmas, break the news that there is another

clause, the Mrs. Clause. Now, Santa slash 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 delivers news that is more stressing.

Santa's own son Charlie is on the naughty list.

It then cuts to Charlie one night to facing the

walls of a school gymnasium from the sky window

until he is caught by principal Carol Newman.

Scott must return to his home to search for a

wife and set things right with Charlie. And yeah.

Oh boy. This movie breaks the fourth wall. So

many. I mean, not like literally the fourth wall

with the audience, but just it. It's only breaking

the fourth wall. Maybe it's jumping the shark.

I agree with that. Because, don't get me wrong,

just on a pure enjoyment level, I like this film,

but as a reviewer, I have to say some bad stuff

about this one. This one, it's nice that the

story is continuing and all that. And I get that

time has passed, Charlie has grown up into a

teenager type, but seriously? He's on the naughty

list? Oh no. If you're Santa Claus' son, you

don't get put on the naughty list. How does that

happen? What kind of logic is at work here? What

I love about this film is, don't they use the

original card? Yes, yeah, yeah, they do they

use the original card because yeah the first

the first Santa Claus is kind of like Even though

you have to use a magnifying glass for it. It's

kind of in big print And the mrs. Claus is in

smaller print under it That part I didn't really

get was like, okay, there's another clause on

the card interesting and in order to see it you

gotta use a magnifying glass yeah this oh boy

oh holy crap I did not know that but it added

a romantic aspect to the scene to the film so

yes it did and no issues with that yeah I did

But one of the things I did not know is that

the Sandman is played by Worf himself, Michael

Dorn. All you Star Trek nerds out there, rejoice.

Worf is the Sandman. Oh my god, that's so funny.

Oh man. What do you think of the whole, like,

this whole magical beings council thing I thought

that was pretty interesting and pretty unique

to get you know to see them and you know get

get acquainted with them I thought that was pretty

interesting I don't I can't remember too much

about them but um it was interesting I thought

it was weird they had Aisha Tyler as Mother Nature

Oh yeah, now I remember. Yeah, that was odd.

And then they actually changed Peter Boyle's

role to Father Time instead of being Scott's

boss at the toy company from the previous film.

They altered his role for this film and the third

film he plays, Father Time. And Jay Thomas is

the Easter Bunny. That's just hilarious. What

made sense warf as as as Sandman I guess I don't

know I'm just waiting for him to speak some Klingon

So what was your favorite scene in this one oh

My god the most favorite scene for me was when

Scott and the principal go on the sleigh ride

Carol Yeah, yeah, and they're not and it's not

snowing, but then it just starts snowing And

you see it's only snowing on them. That was so

cute and so romantic and it was so well done.

I loved it. For me, I like the stuff with Charlie

a little bit because it's nice to see that he's

not the... Something obviously has changed with

him. I mean, yeah, the first film was great.

But something, whether it's his dad being Santa,

whether it's his mom, obviously his parents aren't

together. Technically they're a blended family

now. So I don't know if something changed within

him. I'm not sure what that was. And I'm actually

surprised. And I'm kind of glad that they waited

the length of time that they waited to make this

one. to have it released in 2002, because as

I said earlier, as you said earlier, the majority

of the cast returns, which includes Eric Lloyd,

who was the original Charlie in the first film,

and I was surprised. I was like, really? He grew

up. That's the same. Yeah, he grew up. And I

was like, wow, that looks nothing like the kid

from the first film. Well, that's generally what

happens. I mean, look at the Harry Potter cast.

No, thank you. They grew up. he grew up so I

mean well there's a huge gap between 94 and 2002

true true that's why I guess I guess they wanted

to bring him back because they maybe didn't want

to introduce another actor because the audience

got acquainted with the actor in the first movie

so they they made that decision and it worked

out it worked out in their favor Yes, yes it

did. Actually, this was the second or third time

that I had seen the actor Spencer Breslin as

Curtis as the elf underling or the second elf

to Bernard. The first time I'd seen him was in

a Disney Channel original movie called The Ultimate

Christmas Present. It was very, very cool. Who

is your favorite character out of this one? I'm

gonna have to say I still like Scott Yeah, I'm

sticking with Scott. Just gotta yeah, I do too.

I also like the addition of Elizabeth Mitchell

as Carol You know, obviously, you know, she comes

from Not really comes from a bad background,

but she comes from you know trying to know Tell

my turn to say here. She's had a past and it's

not always been happy And there's just something

in Scott because he is Santa Claus and it's not

just because he has the magic it's because the

two of them are falling in love That you know

It just works. I mean their chemistry between

Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell. It's believable.

It's not Where you look at and say oh, that's

completely fake. Yeah Yeah, there was some really

well done well done acting in this movie especially

with the romantic aspect. It was pretty well

done. It was believable. And I thought they were

a very cute on -screen couple together. Yes.

What do we think of the film's antagonist, Toy

Santa? Oh, no. Oh, God. I don't want to remember

that guy. Oh, God. Oh, no. I wanted... I'm just

like, no. Everybody's getting cold this year.

Everybody's been bad. Everybody's been naughty.

Everybody's getting cold. No more presents. I

was just like, no. He's a fail. I don't like

him. He is, but at the same... He's not a favorite

character of mine, but... At the same time I

like how they allowed Tim Allen to do to play

both regular Santa and Toy Santa Because it gives

Tim More room to act Definitely. I mean if you

I mean Most of the people, most of the voice

actors and writers and stuff that I've talked

to over the last year and a half have said, you

know, the characters they love to play are the

bad guys, or the characters they love to write

for are the bad guys, because there's so much

you can do with them. Yeah, bad guys are always

interesting. Yes, yes. Sometimes, you know what,

I'll be honest, sometimes I like the villain

more than I like the hero. Yeah. It happens sometimes,

and if that happens as an audience, as a viewer,

then you know the writer... What the hell is

this? Go ahead. Sorry. Just do it again. Go ahead.

Yeah, then you know the screenwriter has done

a great job because you fall for the villain

more than the hero, and you want to see the villain

succeed, not the hero. So it definitely shows

good writing, and well thought out. Yes, it does.

Comet wasn't in this one, was he? Or if he was,

he only had like one scene. Yeah, aww, Comet.

Yeah, and then they brought in Chet. Don't remember

that guy too well. Chet was the reindeer. Oh,

yeah, the reindeer, yeah. Yeah. Oh, is that the

reindeer in training? Yeah, well, Chet. Because

Komet was the reindeer from the first film, and

Chet is the newest reindeer that's in training.

And Kath Susie voiced Chet. Didn't Chet bash

into things and he wasn't a very good reindeer?

It's why he's in training. Because he can't fly

properly. Poor reindeer. So yeah, I think you

know you're right Santa Claus Scott Calvin obviously

favorite character as as I said I also like Carol

Newman as well. I thought you know just the two

of them the way that they interacted was was

very well done Judge Reinhold pretty much took

a backseat on this one. I mean you know they

It's gotten to a point because so much time has

passed within the films that Like eight years

has passed that they're used to, like Charlie's

mom and Neil, they're used to it. So they've

accepted it. So there's not really any angst

from them. It's more of, oh, hey, we've figured

out the family issues. Let's bring in a plastic

villain. So let's get into some trivia. Trivia

time. Had to say that. All right. Toy Santa's

line, you are a sad, strange little man, is also

used by Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story.

Also, when the Toy Santa says, I think Santa

feels a little buzz, it's from him being Buzz

Lightyear in Toy Story. Very interesting. That's

awesome. Awesome. I love, oh my god, love Buzz

Lightyear. Love Toy Story. Yeah, and Toy Story.

On the back wall of the little girl's room is

a poster for the Disney cartoon Kim Possible.

I'm not surprised. Not surprised? It was a good

cartoon? Yes. In the restaurant scene, you can

hear actress in the background repeatedly saying

the same thing, such as, oh my god, I'll drink

to that, and cheers. Didn't notice that? No,

I didn't either. When Santa is on his first date

with the aspiring singer -songwriter, if you

look at her shirt, the face of Santa is that

of Tim Allen. That's cool. Scott Calvin starts

talking about cars and engines while talking

to Carol Newman and while walking through the

toy shop, Santa picks up and tries on a tool

belt. This refers to Tim Taylor, Tim Allen's

character on Home Improvement. See, that's funny.

Again. No, it's not funny that because it's a

running again a reference stone would prove what's

funny is the reference in the first film where

he looks at the tool belt and says now whatever

he says yeah, because He didn't think he was

that type of person in this one. It's like oh,

hey I'm gonna put this tool belt on you know

just it's a complete 180 mm -hmm That's interesting.

Yes. We have another Kim possible reference.

Yes Lots of Kim Possible in this movie. Yeah,

she was pretty popular in 2002. Oh yeah, she

definitely was. Lucy has a Kim Possible poster

in her room when the Tooth Fairy comes inside

from the window. Yep. Later in the movie when

Scott is mostly de -Santa -fied, he captures

the Tooth Fairy. Tooth Fairy doubting that Scott

is Santa Claus tells him, I know Santa Claus,

I'm friends with Santa Claus, you're no Santa

Claus. This is a parody of Lloyd Benson's famous

retort to Dan Quayle during the 1988 U .S. vice

presidential debate. I wasn't even born then,

so I can't really comment. I never really watch

the Quayle debates because, frankly, Quayle's

a moron. And then next in the opening credits

several jack -in -the -boxes open The last one

to open is the same type of jack -in -the -box

that is seen in numerous times in elf Oh god,

that's not it. That's exactly why I brought it

up at the first time in episode 76 No, that's

not it. Let's not go there. One of my uh I'm

gonna take this last one here. Um, I love this

the line quit the chitchat chat comes directly

off season one episode of Tim Allen's Home Improvement,

1991, where a man named Chet on the phone babbles

too much during a game of Stump the Toolman.

I thought that was hilarious. Hilarious. Yes.

Uh, box office. What do we got for box office

or reception here? Hmm. I think we mentioned

it earlier, did we not? Yeah, but it's got the

critical reception, too. Oh, the critical reception,

alright. Critical reception. The Santa Claus

2 received mixed reviews from critics garnering

a 55 % Rodin critical approval rating for Rodin

Tomatoes with its consensus that though it's

harmless as a family entertainment and has moments

of charm, Santa Claus 2 is also predictable and

forgettable. Didn't do as well as the first film,

apparently. Again, it's not often that I agree

with critics because I'm a type of person that

I like what I like You know damn everybody else

And I'm not saying that everyone else's opinion

is wrong. Although in Kevin Thompson's case.

Yes, it is correct. His opinion is wrong I've

got to start throwing Kevin onto the bus more

often but I I can kind of see why people wouldn't

really get this one, but I thought it was cool

because again in the 704 it continues the story.

It kind of creates a whole new story because

really honestly if you look at the first film

you've got Tim out or Scott Calvin single dad

or divorced dad or single dad whatever you however

you want to classify the guy Who's all about

business all about you know toys selling everything

else? And you know hardly it did it Santa Claus

one is the classic father has no time for child

type of movie or just doesn't make time for his

kid. But he wants to. It's kind of sad that I'm

almost thinking that Santa Claus and Liar Liar,

same film. Same year, actually, too. I think.

Liar Liar, come out in 94? I forget. Anyways,

it's the same principle. Where is this one? Charlie's

growing up. He's gotta kinda take care of his

little niece or step sister or whatever. Whatever

Lucy is, I forget. I think she's the daughter

of Neil and Scott's, not Scott's, Scott's, wow,

that would be crazy. Neil and Charlie, oh god.

She's the daughter of Laura and Neil. So I think

she's Charlie's step sister or half sister or

whatever, I don't know. So it's nice that Charlie

has someone to eventually share the secret with.

But, you know, again, if you see this on TV and

there's nothing else good on it, of course, you

know, TV nowadays. Especially at Christmas time.

What the hell is good on at Christmas time? Most

of the, you know, regular TV shows nowadays are

on hiatus or the season's over by Christmas,

so. Yeah, I'll watch it You know what? I'm just

with just going back to the critical reception

for a second. Mm -hmm I'm on the fence here I

mean I like you said I do understand where they

would come from by giving it that lower rating

Because I mean yeah, maybe maybe just because

it didn't live up to people's expectations of

the sequel Maybe they weren't expecting that

it was gonna be there was gonna be a romantic

aspect to it. Maybe they didn't like that Yeah,

maybe they didn't or they just, you know, or

they just had way too high expectations for the

film and when they saw it, they were disappointed.

Yeah, I can agree with that. But again, you know,

if you're not looking at, if you're just looking

at it as an enjoyment, it's not something that,

it's not a film that absolutely sucks. Yeah,

it's not awful. It's not elf, so... It's not

a bad movie. I can sit through this movie and

not get bored and not want to change the channel

or pop another DVD into my DVD player. I enjoy

it. Yes. And as far as speaking of the DVD, it

is on DVD. When I went to Wikipedia to get some

of the other information like the... the Critical

Reception and all that. It had nothing listed

for a DVD release, but I know it is on DVD. It's

on DVD. Yes. Yes, it is. We've kind of already

given our final thoughts, but I mean, as far

as... How would you rank it in... How would you

rank it in the trilogy? I mean, I know we haven't

talked about Santa Claus 3 yet, but I mean, like,

as far as the first two films, how would you

rank them? I would have to go... 1. And then

three and then two well one was or I'm doing

this wrong I'm gonna say this One is the best

for me. Yeah, then three and then two I'm gonna

agree with that. Yeah, because I There were just

some things in to that. I just didn't get into

I like what I think it's just maybe I think with

development of Charlie with him being, you know,

the rebellious teenager. I thought that was so

predictable. Which is where, which is what people

on Raw and Tomatoes were saying is that it was,

it's predictable. Yeah. Because of course, what

else can they make Charlie be, the son of Santa

Claus? Of course, you got to make him everything

that Santa Claus isn't. You got to make him be

the bad boy. I guess that bugged me in some way.

Yeah, it kind of bugged me too, but at the same

time I see why they had to do it because they

had to further the overall storyline. Because

if you look at this film and then you look at

Santa Claus 3, he's pretty much on board and

everything else. It's kind of like you have innocent

Charlie in the first one where he's a kid and

he's innocent. You know, he wants to know what

the clatter is up on the roof and all that stuff.

And this one, you have to have him do something

against character type because that way in the

third film he can come around kind of full circle

and everything would be okay. So I mean, I could

see why this film kind of would bug people, but

at the same time, this isn't like a certain Disney

animated film sequel that should not have happened.

Uh, and dreams don't come true, Disney. Sorry

about that. You know, this isn't like Cinderella

2 where you've got four different stories in

one movie. This is a fluid story. It continues

from the first film and it goes into the third

film. Uh, let's talk about Mrs. Claus specifically

at the end when she starts kidding. Cause I was

wondering, I'm like, okay, so you're going to

have Santa have a hot blonde wife. and Santa

be Santa the way Santa's supposed to look, which

is fat, white beard, and eats cookies. And I'm

a fat guy myself, so I can say that, but it's

one of those things where, holy crap, there's

no way Santa Claus is gonna land a babe that

hot. And then, of course, at the end of the credits,

we see Carol taking on the effects of the Santa

magic and of the whole Mrs. Claus, and we see

her in a white short, I'm hoping that was a wig.

I hope they didn't ever cut her hair. Kind of

like a white poofy wig and she's in this red

robe and she's kind of bouncing around and having

fun and everything else. So I thought that was

kind of cool. And it's funny because when I first

saw this, I think, like I said before, I think

I did see this in theaters. But I didn't, I don't

think I stayed for the credits because normally,

you know, of course nowadays everybody stays

for the credits because they always put crap

at the end of movies now. But back then, I don't

think I stayed for the credits and I was like,

really? Santa's married to a hot blonde teacher?

That's it? And then people are like, you know,

when it comes to me, they're like, oh, you got

to watch the end of the credits because she does

start taking the Santa Facts. I'm like, oh, okay,

that's cool. Very, very, very cool. Mm -hmm.

Alrighty then. So, oh god, I just pulled another

Ace in Jar reference, yikes. Thank you for joining

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I wish you'll join us next time when Steve will

be returning with Tara and I when we finish out

the Christmas episodes with the Santa Clause

3, the Escape Clause. For now, I am TFD1 Mike

with... Rising Star. Thank you for listening,

until next time. It's incredible! Yes, it is.

Um, can you talk? Hello? Hello? Hello? Ho, ho,

ho! Not bad. Not bad yourself. I can't put my

finger on it, but there's just something about

you that I like. There's just something about

you that I like. You watch him. I'll be right

back. He's coming right back. Bernard, I need

your help on this. What do you mean? What I mean

is I gotta go see Charlie, and I want you to

convince the elves. That toy Santa is me Have

you seen that thing? I've seen it and I think

if you keep the elves at a distance and tell

them that I change my look it'll work Santa we're

in way over our heads here anybody can do this.

It's you number one I'm not gonna lie to all

the elves I Myself think he looks absolutely

terrific better and and fresher somehow than

he has in years. There's now more supple veneer

to his skin and an added luster to the thickness

of his hair. You could almost say there's a toy

-like quality to him.