The Flight Before Christmas

2008 "An All-New Holiday Movie About Santa And His Little Helpers"
6.1| 1h20m| NA| en| More Info
Released: 22 September 2008 Released
Producted By: The Weinstein Company
Country: Ireland
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

A young reindeer named Niko dreams about flying like his father, whom he has never met. Despite constant teasing from others, he sneaks out of his home valley to take flying lessons from Julius, a flying squirrel.

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The Flight Before Christmas (2008) is now streaming with subscription on Starz

Director

Kari Juusonen, Michael Hegner

Production Companies

The Weinstein Company

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The Flight Before Christmas Audience Reviews

NipPierce Wow, this is a REALLY bad movie!
CommentsXp Best movie ever!
Luecarou What begins as a feel-good-human-interest story turns into a mystery, then a tragedy, and ultimately an outrage.
Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
SnoopyStyle Niko is a young reindeer told by his mother that his father is one of Santa's elite flying reindeers of the "Flying Forces". He has never met him because they are fully dedicated to flying for Santa. Flying squirrel Julius tries to guide the young reindeer and his friend Saga. Niko is eager to fly. They are hounded by the wolf pack and Niko overhears their plans to take on Santa and the Flying Forces. With the help of Wilma the weasel, Niko goes in search for his father in the Flying Forces.The animation looks fine. It's a little blocky but the animals look cute enough. The Flying Forces are rather annoying and I wish they have a better name. That song just isn't funny. I also wish Niko knew his father's name. I don't know what kind of nameless reindeer sex his mother had. It doesn't cost the movie anything for him to admire a specific father from afar. This is an OK family film.
dmwhipp-1 Seriously one of the worst Christmas movies I have ever seen. One of "Santa's Flying Forces" has a one night stand with a doe which results in Niko. Apparently Niko's mom doesn't bother to ask his name though (probably a common mistake among doe groupies trying to get laid by Santa's Flying Forces).Movie includes: - A pretty scary pack of wolves with plans to eat Santa, Santa's reindeer, and children of the world. - A bar scene (yep, a reindeer bar scene) where none of Santa's reindeer remember Niko's mother ("Sorry kid, this is the world famous flying forces you're dealing with. We're gonna need more details.") - A a pink poodle subplot that might have belonged in another movie.We watched with our 9 and 11 year-old sons and the only fun we had was making fun of how bad the movie was. They hated it, but I suspect for totally different reasons than my husband and myself, lol.I have no problem with a Christmas movie that's a little bit raunchy (love Christmas Vacation and Bad Santa), but targeting a movie towards kids about one night stands that result in kids, Santa's reindeer in bars, and a scary wolf pack out to eat Santa is just sort of creepy.
CattyA Although I'm a Finn I can see where the negative comments of the American parents come from. You have grown up with the Disney policy of showing children only sugarcoated films trying to protect them from the real world. I am a great fan of enchantment, princesses and cute animals but to make changed versions of world classics such as The Little Mermaid in which the ending was ruined by changing it into a happy one is a sacrilege. The Andersen story is forever spoiled for those who have first seen the film.I don't actually believe that children pay much attention to the one night stand or the macho behaviour of the reindeer. That's there for the grown-ups. The children are drawn to the story and if you don't point the other matter to them, it goes by like a snowflake.On the other hand many children living with a single parent may relate to Niko's situation and find comfort in seeing that he is not an outcast. It would be wonderful if all families had two parents and everyone lived happily ever after but sadly it isn't so. The word bastard should be deleted from the world. Your own goals and resources are what matters, not your family background.As mentioned in another post the animation of snow is fantastic in this movie. Also the animals are drawn well. The reindeer really look like this and the wolves' running rhythm is spot on. There are many local details like the landing light on the runway. They are called lumberman's candles in Lapland.
horacepmctitties My kids (6,4,4) love this movie. It keeps them interested and engaged. It's mildly suspenseful, funny at times, and keeps moving at a pretty brisk pace. The animation is very good, and worth the price for the snowfall effects.Maybe I've become overly sensitive to this type of thing, but I felt that the way in which Niko came into the world was a little much for a kids' movie. His mother hooks up with one of Santa's flying reindeer and she never sees him again. I understand that this is how it works in the animal kingdom (minus the flying) but when the characters are personified kids relate them to people. I had to field a few questions about this.Also, the flying reindeer sitting around a bar drinking was a little disturbing. And when they are informed that one of them is Niko's father they react in stereotypical frat-boy fashion. So, Santa's reindeer are a group of drunk, womanizers. Not exactly the Christmas image one would hope for.Again, maybe I am too oversensitive to this. The rest of the movie is spot-on perfect.