Let’s be real for a second. Most holiday movies are basically cinematic fruitcake—saccharine, dense, and honestly, you only tolerate them because it’s December. But then 2018 rolled around and Netflix dropped The Christmas Chronicles. Suddenly, we weren't looking at some Mall Santa in a cheap velvet suit. We got Kurt Russell.
He didn't just play Santa. He owned it.
If you’re searching for that santa claus movie with kurt russell, you’re looking for a film that completely flipped the script on what a "jolly" St. Nick looks like. This isn't the "Ho Ho Ho" guy from the Coca-Cola cans. Russell’s Santa is a guy who wears a custom red leather duster, drives a sleigh like it’s a stolen muscle car, and gets genuinely annoyed when people think he’s fat. It’s brilliant.
What Most People Get Wrong About The Christmas Chronicles
People usually go into this expecting a standard "kids save Christmas" trope. And sure, the bones are there. You’ve got Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy (Judah Lewis), two siblings mourning their dad who decide to set a trap for Santa on Christmas Eve. They end up as stowaways on his sleigh, cause a crash in Chicago, and lose the magic hat and the reindeer. Typical chaos.
But the nuance is in how the movie treats Santa himself.
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Most Santa movies treat him as a magical vending machine. In this santa claus movie with kurt russell, he’s an ancient, slightly sarcastic entity with a very specific set of skills. He’s basically Snake Plissken with a gift list. He doesn't say "Ho Ho Ho" (he calls it fake news). He knows everything about everyone, but he uses that knowledge to roast people as much as he does to inspire them.
That Jailhouse Blues Scene
You can’t talk about this movie without the jailhouse musical number. When Santa gets locked up in a Chicago precinct—because, yeah, the cops don't believe he's actually Nick—he doesn't just sit there. He leads a full-blown blues rendition of "Santa Claus is Back in Town."
- The Vibe: Pure Elvis energy.
- The Cast: He’s backed by real-life E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt.
- The Logic: He uses magic to make the other inmates play instruments they don’t even have.
It’s one of those scenes that shouldn't work. It’s goofy. It’s campy. But because it’s Kurt Russell, it’s arguably the best part of the whole film.
Why Kurt Russell Was the Only Choice
Think about the resume. You need someone who can be a father figure but also look like they could survive a bar fight. Russell has that "cool dad" energy that bridges the gap between the 1980s action hero and the modern-day mentor.
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He actually spent a lot of time working on the "Santa-speak" for the role. There’s a whole fictional language the elves speak (Yulish), and the movie treats the North Pole less like a workshop and more like a high-tech logistics hub. It’s this grounded-yet-magical approach that makes it rank so high on people’s yearly rewatch lists.
The Sequel and the Goldie Hawn Factor
We have to talk about the follow-up, The Christmas Chronicles 2. If the first movie was about the mystery of Santa, the second one is about the lore.
Director Chris Columbus (the guy behind Home Alone and the first two Harry Potter films) took over for the sequel, and he leaned heavy into the mythology. We get a Santa origin story that goes back to 312 AD in Turkey. We learn about the Star of Bethlehem powering the North Pole.
But the real draw? Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus.
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They’re a real-life couple, and that chemistry is impossible to fake. While the second movie is a bit more CGI-heavy and "fantasy adventure" than the first, seeing them together on screen makes the North Pole feel lived-in. Mrs. Claus isn't just baking cookies; she’s the one who actually keeps the magic running while Santa is out doing the heavy lifting.
Making the Most of Your Rewatch
If you’re planning to dive into this santa claus movie with kurt russell tonight, keep an eye out for the small details. The movie is packed with little nods to Russell’s past roles and some pretty clever world-building.
- Check the Police Sketch: When the Chicago PD draws Santa, he gets offended by the "fat" depiction. It’s a running gag that feels very on-brand for a guy who clearly hits the gym.
- The Elves: They’re weird. Like, Gremlins weird. They speak their own language and are fiercely loyal, but they’re also kind of terrifying if you get on their bad side.
- The Soundtrack: Aside from the jailhouse rock, the score by Christophe Beck (who did Frozen) does a lot of the heavy lifting to make the "magical" moments feel epic rather than cheap.
Honestly, the best way to watch these is back-to-back. The first one feels like a gritty (for kids) street-level adventure, while the second feels like a grand tour of a magical kingdom.
Actionable Next Steps for Holiday Movie Fans
If you've already binged both Christmas Chronicles films and you're looking for that same "cool Santa" vibe, there are a few places you can go next.
- Watch the "Making Of" Specials: Netflix has some behind-the-scenes footage that shows how they built the North Pole sets and how Russell approached the character.
- Compare to Violent Night: If you liked the "tough guy" Santa but want something way more adult, David Harbour’s Violent Night is basically the R-rated cousin of the Russell movies.
- Explore the 1492 Pictures Catalog: Since Chris Columbus produced these, check out his other holiday staples like Jingle All the Way or Home Alone to see how he handles the "chaos at Christmas" theme.
Whatever you do, just remember: don't call him fat, and don't expect him to say "Ho Ho Ho." This Santa is way too busy for that.