Klaus Review

November 18, 2019 at 3:51am
By Jason Stettner

Klaus is a Netflix Original animated film that showcases the origins of Christmas, and the creation of Santa Claus. The tale largely follows a rich youth named Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), he’s used to luxury and doesn’t care for his father’s desire for him to work. This then forces his father to send him on an impossible mission up to the furthest part of the north.

He needs to get thousands of letters in order to return home, as he’s been set as the post man for that region. It’s an interesting setup, and they really showcase the town as a desolate place that’s been splintered by a civil war. It’s worth mentioning that this is definitely focused on a younger audience, but is a charming film for any age.

Back to the narrative, Jesper creates a plan to get the mail flowing and part of this is working with a mysterious man, Klaus (J.K. Simmons). Together they build an interesting network, and thus set the foundation for this cherished holiday. It’s actually quite well done and a generally lovely tale. It’s enchanting, and largely a smooth experience the whole way through.

A lot of this is carried by the voice work, Schwartzman is great here and he’s joined by some other big names. Rashida Jones’ Alva is an interesting teacher turned fish worker and Norm MacDonald’s Mogens brings some good laughs as the boat man to the main land. The animation work is excellent here, a very well done world. It carries elements of gloom, and then of light and the difference is stark.

It’s an interesting sense of progression and this was a very detailed world that they painted. There are some decent laughs to be had, and emotional points as well. It’s a surprising story, something that felt fresh which isn’t too common when it comes to Christmas movies these days. It tells the origin story differently, and has some fun while doing so.

The Conclusion

Klaus is a lovely take on this classic tale, presenting some beautiful animation work and quality voice over performances. I was pleasantly surprised with this movie, it would be a fine addition to a festive viewing schedule. It tells an interesting tale, does some new things and has a generally surprising story. There are elements of darkness, happiness and generally it’s very appropriate for all audiences to view. The animation style looked great, and they provided some excellent backdrops.

Not only that, but the character models looked great as well. They were regular folks, and that helped add an element of realism to the journey. It was a neat origin story for Santa Claus, adding characters that helped round out the story and add a bit more purpose to it. You might be surprised what happens, and that’s great as it’s hard to be original in terms of just how many Christmas movies are out there these days.

Klaus Review at Home with Streamed Viewing
Content Access was Provided by Netflix

Rating Overall: 7.5