Next up is a film that really goes for broke on its limited budget. Originally shown on the Sony Channel in two separate parts in 2014, but released on streaming as a full movie, The Christmas Dragon is aimed squarely at the Game of Thrones / Xena crowd, coming across like a mash-up of Lord of the Rings and The Goonies. Ayden (Bailee Michelle Johnson) is a young girl in a mediaeval fantasy world who’s the only person who can Save Christmas after she inherits a magic crystal from a dying elf. She teams up with some scrappy orphans, a beardy warrior, a sexy elf lady and a baby dragon to track down the missing Father Christmas and bring some yuletide enchantment back to the kingdom.
It's a mad concept, but not quite as crappy as it sounds. A bit of thought was definitely put into the script, which reimagines Santa as a powerful wizard. It really doesn’t feel very Christmassy though, seeing as for most of its runtime it looks gloriously warm and sunny out.
The middling budget is obvious with the special effects looking rather crude but director John Lyde (Scarlett) wisely uses the CGI sparingly. We only see the dragon in little snippets here and there until near the end but this really works, while the makeup effects for the various elves, orcs and whatnot are also impressive for a made-for-TV kids film. There are loads of impressively choreographed battles with plenty going on to grab the attention.
The mystical villains are pretty cheesy, rasping out clichéd fantasy dialogue of the “seize them!” variety. I wonder too if maybe some of it is a bit grisly for younger kids. Any film that starts with the heroine’s parents being roasted alive by a dragon is potential nightmare fuel, but still, what’s not to love about seeing Santa’s sleigh being pulled by a fire-breathing dragon?
I’m not the biggest fan of tales about heroes in tunics embarking on mythic quests, but this is alright. After five weeks of non-stop festive fare, it’s a real thrill when something distinctive comes along. I’m starting to understand that there are a multitude of ways to have fun with the Christmas movie genre if filmmakers are bold enough to have a go. I get it that when it comes to yuletide films, most casual viewers are looking to bask in the warmth and familiarity of the season. That’s what tradition is all about. But that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to occasionally go off-script and get lost in something weird and wonderful. I don’t know that I’d ever watch this again, but I sure am glad to experience it.
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