THE SANTA CLAUSE 3
THE ESCAPE CLAUSE

"What is the Escape Clause?"

As Christmas Eve approaches, Santa Claus (Allen) realises that this is not going to be your normal festive season. His wife Carol (Mitchell) is about to give birth, the toy production at the North Pole is not running as smoothly as normal and Jack Frost (Short) is causing trouble. For the first time the pressure is getting to him and Santa thinks it would be a lot easier been Scott Calvin. So Jack Frost activates the Escape Clause and takes the North Pole for himself.

It's the most wonderful time of the year so why does Christmas has to have some of worst films of the years but the Santa Clause movies are different?

Twelve years after Scott Calvin first put on the famous red coat and became Santa Claus, Tim Allen returns to his festive franchise for a third trip to the North Pole but unfortunately he also brings along the bags of sugar. Both of the previous 'Santa Clause' movies have successfully produced family entertainment that was slightly different from the usual Christmas fair but the third outing dosed with so much sugar that your teeth will fall out by the end of the film.

While some may argue that this is just a Christmas movie and it needs to be filled with good cheer and everything nice but there was always a certain charm about the 'Santa Clause' movies that made them appeal to all of family, not just the kids. This was all due to the performance of the always-likeable Tim Allen. He brings a certain charm to the character and breathes life into both Scott Calvin and Santa but for some reason this second sequel does quite have the same magic.

The reason is that most of the film is set in the North Pole. This distance from the real world makes the movie all the more a stereotypical Christmas film and moves it away from what drew you into the franchise in the first place. Seeing Scott Calvin become the Santa we all dreamed about as children made you want to be him but the third film is sadly missing this. It is the Jack Frost/Escape Clause story that ruins it. By stepping into a totally fantastical storyline and using Martin Short's almost pantomime character as the driving force for the story undermines Tim Allen's character. The rest of the cast are also slightly over the top. Spencer Breslin doesn't quite fill the boots of previous number one elf Bernard, played by David Krumholtz. Elizabeth Mitchell has a limited role as Mrs Claus but Alan Arkin and Ann-Margret are good as her disapproving and neglected parents.

'The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause' doesn't have the magic of the previous two movies. While younger viewers will enjoy the film, this isn't as fun for the parents and older members of the family however, which is a same because this was one of the better Christmas movie franchises.