- Film title: Jingle All the Way
- Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, Sinbad, James Belushi etc.
- Duration: 1 hour, 28 minutes.
- Rating: Contains action violence, mild language and some thematic elements.
For our second day of CelebMix’s Christmas Film Advent, again we have a bit of a throwback for you. Because next year, festive film ‘Jingle All the Way’ will actually reach its two decade old mark having been released all the way back in November 1996. Unfortunately for this nineties classic, however, it has not always been noted for being a cracker of a Christmas film. In fact, it’s quite the Marmite of a movie; with some people finding it incredibly funny and enjoyable to watch while others believe it to be a flop, a failed attempt of making comment on commercialism in America, particularly in terms of how it tries to address the matter of money and materialism driving Christmas. That being said, we definitely think it is one to give a try if you haven’t already done so or a well-deserved re-watch in the lead up to this holiday to get you into the spirit of things. If anything, the satire-packed script and stupidly funny scenes – including broad shouldered, hard faced Arnold Schwarzenegger being shoved into boxes before controlling a toy race car to knock another grown man on his backside – will leave you feeling all sorts of jolly.
To give you a feel of what it’s about, the film focuses on Howard Langston (played by Schwarzenegger) – a father who is a full-time workaholic, practically married to his job and leaving his family upset with him constantly. Having disappointed his son, Jamie (Jake Lloyd), once again by missing his karate class, Howard promises that he will turn up to a festive parade with the latest and highly popular ‘TurboMan doll’ in hand. But it’s easier said than done as Howard quickly learns that leaving buying gifts last minute, especially one which is the “hottest selling Christmas toy” that year, is very foolish and an impossible task to complete – more so when his chosen day to leave shopping on is none other than Christmas Eve. What ensues is an actor well known for his more action packed, heavy machinery running roles such as ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Commando’ coming up against the likes of an army of Santa Clauses with a candy cane as his choice of weapon and being chased by an aggressive reindeer in slapstick styled, purposely overly-acted scenes all so he can find a doll. Therefore, the plot uses humour to touch on the extremely realistic and relatable struggles that happen to many of us around this kind of holiday. But just like most Christmas films, ‘Jingle All the Way’ ends in a heart-warming manner with a message that family and morals are important. Aw, sweet.
Even if you don’t think this film contends with the likes of ‘Home Alone’ or ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ then at least it acts as a comical reminder that if you’re planning to get a gift for someone special this year, then you should really head out now while it’s not too late.
See the trailer below and let us know if you’re planning to watch Schwarzenegger’s seasonal sensation by commenting or tweeting us @CelebMix