Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause Review
by Jerry Saravia (Faust668 AT msn DOT com)March 3rd, 2009
THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE (2006)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
RATING: Two stars and a half
My only expectation with "The Santa Clause" movies is to laugh and to have a jolly good time watching Tim Allen dress up as Santa Claus (if you think about it, he is the only actor that can wear that costume and not look ridiculous). "The Santa Clause 3" is more of the same and, despite a shortened, unfunny third act, it works and it has a genial tone that is more pleasing in this day and age than you might think.
Tim Allen is back as Scott Calvin aka Santa, more jolly than ever and perhaps a little ego-driven (a fireplace is molded to resemble Santa's mouth). Carol aka Mrs. Claus (Elizabeth Mitchell) is none too happy because she is pregnant at the worst time of the year, Christmas, which is when Santa and his elves work hard to make toys. So, not unlike Scott's problems from the original where he was a divorced dad, he is in danger of getting a second divorce because he works too hard (he has to - he's Santa!) Since Carol is homesick and wants to see her family, Scott brings her parents (Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret) along with his ex-wife, Laura (Wendy Crewson), her yoga-worshipping, spiritually composed husband, Neil (Judge Reinhold) and their daughter, Lucy (Liliana Mumy). Scott's ex-wife's family already know he is the jolly red-suited guy yet Carol's parents are clueless, and a little perturbed that Scott's ex-wife is invited. Scott convinces his in-laws that they are in Canada and that all Canadians look like elves (the miniature hospital room and the elvish doctor should be signs that Scott is lying).
In the midst of all this, there is the wild, wily, frosty Jack Frost (Martin Short) who, to no one's surprise, wants to be jolly old Santa. Apparently his idea of Santa is to change the North Pole into a commercial theme park where his elves work as retail employees sans creating toys, and he gets to perform songs with the kind of gusto straight out of Broadway! Ironically, he gets his wish in the Hall of Snowglobes and the less said about that, the better.
"Santa Clause 3" has some chuckles and laughs strewn throughout, but the "It's a Wonderful Life" nightmare at the 3/4 mark turns into some sort of anticlimax and is given short-shrift (not that the alternate time line wouldn't end happily with the jolly red giant but it feels extraneous). I just wish the filmmakers had more faith in their Jack Frost premise and stretched it out, giving Martin Short the opportunity to really let loose with some inspired chaos. Plus, the most entertaining performance in the movie is from Alan Arkin, and one wishes the filmmakers had more faith in his character's doubts and concerns over hard-working Scott.
Still, for fans of the other "Santa Clause" movies, "Santa Clause 3" will do just fine. There are some nifty cameos by Mother Nature, Sandman, and the late Peter Boyle as Father Time. And for some good laughs, there is the funny tyke Curtis, the Experimental Elf (Spencer Breslin) who tries to coax Santa for some solidarity with the "help me, help you" speech. The movie is harmless family entertainment but it feels a little too short and precious for its own good.
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