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Synopsis:

The 3D, CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child’s question: ‘So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?’ The answer: Santa’s exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.

The Dispatch Deck inside the S1 in ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

My View

At first glance, it seems like Arthur Christmas is your usual Christmas movie with all those heart-warming, lovey-dovey, christmas-y feel to it. After the first few minutes of the movie, you would realize that Santa Claus’ operations have been given a twist – with modern, technologically advanced equipment, and even the sleigh, S-1 has been brought up to speed with the times looking very much like star trek.

With all these technology in placed to make Christmas still possible for Santa Claus, to deliver all the presents to all the kids in one night, these “processes” removed the passion and heart out of Christmas, making Christmas just another job that is based on achieving numbers, efficiency, and goals. This is very much a reflection of how businesses evolve from one out of sweat, blood, passion into a brain-dead job where you’re just going through the process of getting things done without caring.

Arthur Christmas, the youngest of the two Santa Claus’ kids, works in the mail room. Even with all these “processes” in place, he continues to put as much passion and love in each and every letter he replies to. He believes in the purity of Christmas, where each and every child is as important as the next child.

Gwen (voiced by Ramona Marquez) in ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

Without spoiling the whole story for you, Arthur Christmas goes through various trials and tribulations to deliver a present to one child that wasn’t delivered, Gwen. He got to the lowest point where it seemed impossible for him to deliver the present in time, he even lost all hope and belief in the magic of Christmas.

One powerful quote that Arthur Christmas says that stuck was (I paraphrase because I don’t remember exactly), “It doesn’t matter how the present gets there, all that matters is the look in Gwen’s eyes when she opens her present.”

This movie really shows that you cannot forget your love for your job, the impact you make no matter how small, and should never let the sake of numbers and KPIs change the fact that every single person matters. It’s not so much about how successful you’ve achieved your KPIs, it’s about making each individual you’ve engaged happy and satisfied.

Must Watch

If you’re do catch this movie, keep a look out on the small little details that happens in the background. You might just discover a few interesting things. I did. *wink*