The Santa Clause

This is a hip, likable spin on the seasonal icon told with a deft mixture of comedy and sentimentality.

Aimed at kids, but written with parents in mind, The Santa Clause balances the sugar with the spice, which Allen sprinkles on just right.

The personable star of the TV series "Home Improvement" turns this Walt Disney film around. He may not be as effervescent as, say, Robin Williams, but he's full of understated, ticklish charm.

The Santa Clause (so named after the clause on Santa's calling card that requires Scott to take over the job) is often a clever and amusing movie, and there's a lot of fresh invention in it.

Actually, this souped-up sled is a perfect vehicle for TV star/comedian Tim Allen and, despite its formulaic chassis, he takes us through a few interesting twists and turns.

The Santa Clause presents us with an Anti-Claus, Tim Allen of Home Improvement, hard-edged, discomfitingly frenetic and spritzing cheerless one-liners.

The film drops from obvious comedy into a ready melt slush which no amount of make-up and special effects can rescue.

Tim Allen has a certain comedic delivery style; this movie fits him perfectly. I'm surprised at the critics score; it's one of my favorite Christmas movies and I have the DVD. Tim is your stereotype toy designer solely interested in making a buck when "there arose such a clatter." Yup, Tim becomes Santa and his whole world turns upside down. Duh, who wouldn't? Throughout the movie, Tim's low voice comic retorts are hilarious. Maybe the low score Users and the critics didn't like that type of humor.

Love this holiday film, one of the best holiday movies ever made! There is so much laugh-out-load moments for all the family with such a lovely cast, an amazing story line and a warming family movie!

What if an average person could become Santa? Better yet, what if Tim Allen from Home Improvement became Santa? Enjoy Allen's humor, the cute father/son relationship, and clever takes on Santa Claus magic with early 90s CGI, but don't expect much depth from the film's more serious themes.

"The Santa Clause" was mildly entertaining but very funny film through a man who will become Santa Claus , not knowing what happened to the Verdader Santa Claus , the plot almost boundless , but cuestionabe.

Santa Clause is the frosting on the Christmas cake, that good gift that you weren't hoping for, probably will play with for a short time, and then ignore for a long time. While some jokes are great and the premise is innocent, Tim Allen's Santa is neither endearing nor memorable. The movie features plenty of great ideas, but lacks substance to make those ideas shine. It's almost as if The Santa Clause doesn't know what it wants to be: a holiday comedy or a dramatic look at the strain of being Santa on family life. Either way, the movie is neither a Christmas classic nor a horrid fruit cake, relying on witty jokes and fresh ideas to mask the repetitiveness of the boring story and the lack of cheer found in this new Santa. 6/10 Follow me on twitter. @cbeers2513