- davidahallnum5
Santa vs. the Snowman 3D DVD Review
Updated: Apr 8, 2023
Santa vs. the Snowman is a 1997 animated Christmas special that in 2002, got an IMAX 3D release. From this creators of Jimmy Neutron, the special revolves around a snowman who after questioning why Santa gets all the credit for giving on December 25, declares war on Santa and his operations on Christmas Eve.
Once in every generation, there is a holiday story that steals the hearts of billions. This isn't one of them, but I personally still think it's a pretty charming short that the family can gather around for the Christmas season. A bit like the Jimmy Neutron show that followed it, it probably won't win over everyone. But if you ever happened to enjoy that show for it's unique animation style, creative stories, and clever gags, you might also find Santa vs. the Snowman to be your cup of hot cocoa.
Santa vs. the Snowman falls under a weird category of films that either drives people away from it or draws plenty of people in. And what makes it weird is that oftentimes, the same things that turn people off about it are the same things that other people often enjoy about it. And both sides of people have plenty of good merit to support their claims. I think the major issue people would have to put up with is the animation, which is certainly pretty blunt and a bit unappealing at times. The story, while a bit cute, doesn't leave the audience with anything particularly impactful. A there's also one song number that some might find annoying.
But beyond that, though, there is some pretty genuine creativity on display that's worth giving some credit to. The story itself is fun and entertaining overall. But it also contains a plentiful amount of gags that utilize the Christmas-themed setting from beginning to end. They might not always make you laugh out loud, but there's a certain charm to them that'll most likely bring out some good chuckles. The characters, while not entirely exactly deep, are still endearing and enjoyable. Ben Stein even makes a fun cameo at one point. And while the animation can look a bit weird, there's once again a sense of uniqueness about it that some might find appealing, myself included. And the way it works with the mute snowman is honestly quite amusing, making him a quite delightful personality.
All in all, this is the kind of movie that either you'll like or won't. Personally, I liked it. It's a short but sweet experience that delivers some clever humor, has a quirky style, and has a nice message for the Christmas season. It's a pretty obscure movie, for sure, and not everything about it always satisfies. But like I said before, if you're won over by the Jimmy Nuetron-esque creativity and mannerisms, Santa vs. the Snowman will probably be worth checking out.
OVERALL FILM RATING: 3.5/5
Unlike most of the 3D reviews I do here, Santa vs. the Snowman 3D is only available on a 3D DVD with red-cyan glasses. I don't really despise 3D DVDs all that much, especially as they can sometimes come the rescue for some 3D movies that otherwise wouldn't be available on physical media at all. But quite obviously, red-cyan 3D has plenty of downfalls. For starters, the red-cyan paper glasses that come with the movie are pretty annoying. Secondly, the color scheme get washing out with the red-cyan colors from the glasses. The 3D sometimes doesn't work half the time. And when it does work, there's often an ample amount of ghosting. That doesn't mean the 3D can't be good sometimes, but it does mean there's more to put up with than when it comes to 3D Blu-rays. Personally, from what I've found, it helps to usually watch red-cyan 3D films from almost twice as far away as you would usually watch a normal 3D movie. But even that comes with its own set of problems.
Does that automatically not make Santa vs. the Snowman worth the purchase? Personally, I think not. One, 3D DVD is the only way to seeing this film in 3D, even if it comes with plenty of annoyances. And two, Santa vs. the Snowman actually benefits more from the 3D conversion than you'd probably think. Sure, the red-cyan 3D here doesn't always work, like I said before. But when it does work, it makes for a genuinely pretty fun ride.
The 3D helps to give proper shape and size to the objects in the surrounding environment, whether it's Santa Claus, the elves, the snowman, trees, snow, or buildings. And with the animation style the film uses, it makes the 3D somewhat mesmerizing to watch. It's usually at its best in outdoor scenes with wide plains of snow stretching far into the background, snow and wind flying right out at you, and the distance between characters and object made all the more apparent. There's one shot of hundreds of snowmen stretching far back in which you can make out almost everyone's heads (I say almost because of the ghosting in this shot), and another shot that looks down a very long cliff that can make you dizzy. This quality is especially present in the battle scene in the second act, which features some of the strongest 3D in the movie, allowing hot chocolate guns, snow, ice cubes, and reindeer to protrude the screen, and allowing things like the giant nutcracker and a big snow monster to maintain great size and shape.
Indoors, things might not be as incredible, but we still get some good shots. In Santa's workshop, the space inside the building can look great at times, and the distance between elves made apparent. There's a scene that involves two elves working security on a rotating see-saw contraption from the inside of a giant room full of screens. While the ghosting here is strong, the rotating contraption uses the 3D and makes for some neat pop outs and fun 3D composition. The inside of hallways and different rooms, including Santa's bathroom, also maintain very good space. As far as pop outs go, we get the ones mentioned above, with ample snow, characters, and other surrounding objects. But there's also a pretty fun one near the end that involves a flute that you ought to look out for.
I'd like to see Santa vs. the Snowman arrive on a 3D Blu-ray sometimes in the near future and give us the film in 3D the way it was intended to be seen. But until that happens, we still have the 3D DVD to satisfy us hardcore 3D fans, even with its flaws. Is it a must-buy, no. Not by any means. But for those who do decide to make the purchase, there's enough surprisingly good 3D usage to probably make it worth the minor annoyances the red-cyan 3D has to offer.
3D RATING: GOOD
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Like I said before, Santa vs. the Snowman is an oddball, but surprisingly delightful treat for anyone who can enjoy its unique style and creative humor. It's hard to say whether or not you'll enjoy it too. The most I can say is, if you're won over by its trailer, or have been won over by John A. Davis's later work Jimmy Neutron, you'll probably find yourself having a good time with this one. If not, that's understandable too. Either way, it's a one-of-a-kind film that I think deserves more credit and recognition than people have given it. As far as the 3D goes, well, if you're not immediately put off by the red-cyan 3D format this film carries, chances are you'll find more to like about this 3D conversion than there is to dislike. It's by no means amazing, but the 3D still makes for a fun addition to an already fun movie, and it can sometimes even improve it. If you're out to buy the film at all, you're going to have to get the 3D DVD, which also contains the 2D version on it. And if that's your case, then there's no harm in giving the 3D version a chance.
DID YOU LIKE "SANTA VS. THE SNOWMAN" IN 3D
0%Yes
0%No
0%I haven't even seen the movie itself