The festive season of Christmas movies has finally dawned upon us! I was rather apathetic this year, considering the lackluster titles that have been anticipated for us, none of them seemed appealing. However, there was one movie that piqued my interest and that movie was Dashing Through The Snow. I was intrigued by the cast and the modernized story, it appeared to be something novel and amusing to watch, but was that really the case?
Eddie Garrick (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) is a good-hearted man who has turned his back on Christmas due to a traumatic childhood experience. At the request of his wife Allison Garrick (Teyonah Parris), from whom he is separated, Eddie takes his 9-year-old daughter Charlotte (Madison Skye Validum) to work with him on Christmas Eve, where they meet a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick (Lil Rel Howery). Eddie, who is a social worker, thinks the man is delusional and needs professional help, but when he evokes the wrath of a local politician (Oscar Nuñez), he and his daughter are taken on a magical adventure that just might restore his faith in Christmas.
There’s some stuff to talk about this movie overall, I really enjoyed it and I think it’s a must watch for this Christmas season, but obviously this movie had its issues and is packed with some details and plot elements that didn’t work well with me.
The movie has that Disney magic indeed; you can see it even with its poor CGI or weak villains. Dashing Through The Snow has a lot to enjoy. Lil Rel Howery is pure charisma; I simply loved his take on a more modernized Santa Claus. The way he speaks to people, the way he explains all the North Pole changes because it’s “different times”, and the way he shows that this new generation not only affected us but also Santa’s world are all delightful.
Howery’s chemistry worked really well with Ludacris, even though Ludacris was not very good in this movie. I might say he’s probably my least favorite character, and it’s not only his fault. Of course, the script gave him a more flat development and sometimes he really just annoyed me, but both of them together worked really well. I can’t say the same of Teyonah Parris, who had no chemistry with her husband, but it’s not a big deal considering she’s barely in the movie and her relationship with Ludacris’ character is totally overshadowed by another storyline. Madison Skye Validum is the soul and heart of this movie. You can see that the actress is having such a great time doing this movie and her charisma is incredible. She’s so cute and adorable and honestly might be my favorite part about this movie.
A very weak point was the villains. They’re no threat, not menacing at all, and they’re just there for being there, not having a very big impact on the story until the very end when they finally decide to do something about it. Despite its issues, the movie also has some great things. I loved some scenes specifically. There’s one scene where Santa (aka Nich) is running from the bad guys and he goes inside a party full of Santa Clauses. There he makes a show, which was really fun and cute to watch. It really made me feel like it’s Christmas time and that’s what I like the most about these movies.
This is my second movie from this Christmas season, being my first one Genie, which is currently under embargo. But don’t worry because this movie right here is a total delight for you and for your family. Dashing Through The Snow is a delightful choice for this Christmas season. It has some flaws, such as its weak villain or some plot elements that are not as convincing as they could be, but overall this was an enjoyable, charming, and humorous movie.
★★★
Dashing Through The Snow is now streaming on Disney+
