I was surprised at how much I loved this movie. It is not the best Christmas movie ever made, but it is incredibly underrated as far as I'm concerned. The script is not perfect I agree, it is not abominable but it could have done with more work. However, so much compensates.

Santa Clause:The Movie does have terrific costume and set design, and the cinematography is lovely. The music is wonderful and adds to the Christmassy atmosphere. The story is magical, briskly paced and exciting. The direction is good, not amazing but it does do admirably with what it set out to do. The pace ensures that the film is never boring. And the acting I had little problem with either, the kids are appealing enough and David Huddleston is a suitably jovial Santa, but it is Dudley Moore's charming Patch and John Lithgow's fantastic Scrooge-like villain that steal the film.

Overall, this is a charming and underrated little movie, that doesn't deserve the low rating. Seriously, 5.1 is ridiculous, I have seen some bad/mediocre movies but Santa Clause:The Movie while not cinematic perfection is not one of them. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I saw and liked this as a kid, so I thought I'd see how well it holds up as an adult. The answer is that it doesn't: every scene I found charming as a boy I now find embarrassing. SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE turns out to be one of the most twee and overly mawkish Christmas movies ever made.

The problem with the film is the script, which just meanders all over the place, plotlessly and painfully without focus or insight. It appears that the producers realised they could use the same kind of 'flying' special effects from the SUPERMAN series except swap them for Santa and his reindeers flying through the air. But that's no basis for a movie.

It takes an hour or so for the storyline (involving an evil toy manufacturer) to get moving, and before then there are just lots of annoying scenes with the elves, who make the Ewoks look appealing. We get Dudley Moore mugging shamelessly in one of his irritating kid's film performances, and David Huddleston overegging it as a good-natured Santa. One of the sub-plots, involving floating kids, seems to have been stolen from WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

Thankfully, the film does pick up a little in the latter stages when there's actual stuff going on (even if it still isn't much),and we do get a scene-stealing turn from John Lithgow as a remarkably slimy villain. Sadly, his presence isn't enough to stop this from being a film that's a worthless watch for anyone over eight years old.

NB. I recently watched this film one more time just to see if I was being too harsh on it above. I guess I was - a little. If you're in the mood for cloying sentimental and feel-good Christmas fare, then I guess it's the film for you. It certainly looks nice in high definition and the early storyline about how Santa Claus became Santa Claus is quite well done. A good kid's film then, although adults may want to pass on it.

"Santa Claus", or "Santa Claus:the movie" is one of the most traditional and magical christmas films ever made, in my opinion. Despite what others say, this movie grasps all of the fantasy,mystery and meaning of Christmas,and presents it in an entertaining family flick. This film was the basis of my children's Christmas beliefs,who will,might I add,also defend this film strongly. I think that anyone who does not enjoy this "feel-good christmas movie" either wasn't in the right state of mind while watching it, or is just a scrooge!