'Dear Santa' Review: Even Jack Black's Satan cannot save Paramount's messy holiday flick
Contains spoilers for 'Dear Santa'
One might think having Jack Black play Santa in a holiday movie is all that is required to make Christmas merrier than ever but they would be wrong if they watched 'Dear Santa'.
On the surface, 'Dear Santa' boasts a hell lot of potential, given you have Peter Farrelly, the brain behind the classic 'Dumb and Dumber' co-writing the screenplay with Ricky Blitt, but still, the movie fails to shine and even struggles to keep your interest intact.
'Dear Santa' fails to deliver the holiday cheers
The plotline for 'Dear Santa' is indeed a unique take on Christmas, as it follows an 11-year-old awkward boy, Liam Turner (Robert Timothy Smith), who still believes in Santa's existence and writes a letter to him. But here is a twist: he misspells Santa as Satan and summons the devil. It looks like Satan (Jack Black) was also waiting for Liam's letter, as he wastes no time and knocks on Liam's door with a deal that is too enticing to not accept. Satan, being his mischievous self, informs Liam that he can fulfill his three wishes, but in return, he will take his soul. Now, here comes the big issue, as the soul-selling plot point could have been more appropriate for an adult or maybe even a teenager, but an 11-year-old might not be fully able to grasp the situation, and this is what exactly happens.
The plotline was indeed interesting but required a dark edge to justify the presence of Satan. The execution of the plotline also fails to make any impact, as there are points where you just start questioning the need of the movie. I won't say that there are no shining moments in the movie, but they are not enough to justify my big anticipation. At some point, the jokes seem too cheesy and corny, which not only brings in boredom but also makes it hard to keep your attention intact. The ending of 'Dear Santa' is another letdown for me, as it is a confusing mess in every sense of the world, and I would have preferred a more realistic one.
Jack Black delivers a great impression of Satan in 'Dear Santa'
Hollywood has done great impressions of Satan, as we have seen Al Pacino doing it perfectly in 'The Devil's Advocate,' but seeing Black is a different game altogether. Mostly known for his comedic prowess, Balck lends his signature comedic charm to the mythical being who is mischievous and does know how to make lives miserable. As a dyslexic young boy, Robert Timothy Smith shines as Liam. He presents a glimmer of hope in the midst of the confusing movie and does look innocent on the screen.
I don't understand the need for an extended cameo by Post Malone and the overhype around the idea that 'Congratulations' is one of the best songs ever written. The cameo was, at best, bearable. That said, 'Dear Santa' on paper had great potential, but I feel the movie lost its spirit with its uncertain tone. While Black does his best to lend a helping hand to enhance the quality of the movie, the man is certainly not enough to carry that.
'Dear Santa' trailer
