Susan Granger’s review of “The Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause” (Disney)
The “Santa Claus” franchise has explored the precarious balance between work and family – with the Christmas Eve deadline looming.
Now Scott Calvin/Santa (Tim Allen) and Mrs. Claus (Elizabeth Mitchell) are expecting their first child together, while jealous Jack Frost (Martin Short) whines, “All I am is a setup man for Mr. Big.”
So when Santa decides to fly in his meddlesome in-laws (Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret) for the impending birth, conniving Frost seizes the moment to usurp the red suit.
There’s also a zany scheme to disguise the North Pole as Canada and the elves as tiny Canadians so the in-laws will believe their rotund son-in-law is a mere toymaker in the frigid provinces – since he’s never told them he’s Father Christmas – and the inclusion of Scott’s teenage son (Eric Lloyd), his ex-wife (Wendy Crewson), her psycho-babbling husband (Judge Reinhold) and snow globe-loving daughter (Liliana Mumy).
Tim Allen looks tired and pained, perhaps because Martin Short is irritating and annoying, except when he’s singing a “North Pole, North Pole” adaptation of Kander and Ebb’s “New York, New York” in a cheesy, chintzy theme park dedicated to the commercial concept that parental love should be judged by how much they spent on presents.
Writers Ed Decter and John J. Strauss patch together elements of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Elf” and “The In-Laws,” while director Michael Lembeck relies on flatulent reindeer and cameos from Kevin Pollak (Cupid), Jay Thomas (Easter Bunny) and Peter Boyle (Father Time) with a touch of glamour from Aisha Tyler (Mother Nature). On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” becomes a slushy 3 – the gag reel that plays over the credits is funnier than the film.
