It’s not easy to make a successful – and well made – Christmas film. It takes years to give a film like Home Alone or Love Actually the credibility and reputation that will keep festive revellers coming back time and time again. So with the streaming war in full battle, it’s Netflix’s turn to take on potentially the most difficult genre of all.
Klaus, which is now on Netflix, is a new retelling of the story of Santa Claus. The animation situates itself in the snowy north, in a fictional country that can’t help but riff on Scandinavia.
Within minutes, we meet Jesper (played by Jason Schwartzman), who is a failed postal academy student. Clearly disinterested and only there because his rich father tells him he has to be, he needs a good kick up the backside to improve his life.
His father decides to send him to a frozen island above the Arctic Circle and tells him he can’t come back until he collects 6,000 letters. Sounds simple, but Jesper learns nothing is easy in Smeerensburg.
With troublesome kids constantly getting up to no good and parents who aren’t any better behaved, Jesper learns that a simple act of kindness is a rarity in the fictional town; even local teacher Alva (Rashida Jones) has lost all will to teach.
READ MORE: Netflix release date schedule 2019: Full Netflix 2019 release schedule
Enter a chance meeting with the town’s biggest and baddest family’s smallest child and Jesper is introduced to Klaus (J.K. Simmons).
Klaus – clearly playing on ‘Claus’ – is not just a bit and burly lumberjack, but he’s also genuinely terrifying. However, we quickly learn he had a genuine heart and only wants to make children happy with handmade toys.
Jesper and Klaus team up to send children who write letters asking for toys everything they wish for – and the postman gets ever closer to his target.
But will he find he has everything he needs in Smeerensburg? Of course, it’s Christmas.
And thus, Santa Claus is born, only with a little postman sidekick who can shimmy down the chimneys with his slender little hips instead.
It really is a lovely story which packs a serious emotional punch at the end – who said it was acceptable to cry so much at Christmas?
Although possibly cliché at parts, Klaus really does provide humour that even adults can enjoy.
What’s more, the animation itself is gloriously brought to life and is at once inclusive and impressive. It feels small budget but on a big budget – something which really should be commendable.
Klaus will no doubt be a hit with kids across the globe with its Santa-inspired theme and in a time of political turmoil and general unrest, it shows that a small act of kindness can turn into the greatest childhood story ever told.
DON’T MISS…
Frozen 2: Kristen Bell has fans in TEARS with Disney song [LATEST]
Frozen 2: HUGE change for Elsa in Disney movie explained [EXPLAINER]
Frozen 2: Does Elsa have a girlfriend in Frozen 2? [EXPLAINER]
Where Klaus really comes alive is in the soundtrack. Musically, the Netflix film is akin to a stirring David Attenborough documentary but it also has a strong pop feeling.
Bidding to take on Frozen’s Let It Go, viewers are treat to the poptastic Invisible, from the contemporary pipes of Zara Larsson.
The message of the song is simple, according to Zara, as she exclusively told Express.co.uk: “Invisible, without spoiling Klaus too much, this guy Jesper gets a mission and needs to send 6,000 letters before he can go back home. But when he does it he realises how people can turn in to friends.
“In the middle he realises he doesn’t want to do this for selfish reasons but because he likes to be a good person. It’s basically about him becoming less selfish, more giving and ultimately a better person.
“The song is about that as well – all the nice stuff in life isn’t really something you can touch. It’s not the gifts themselves rather the gifts we’re giving.”
Zara added: “It’s a Christmas movie essentially but it’s about this guy who goes up to the north and they just wanted someone from the north who could also really sing. It’s quite a hard song to sing actually. It’s so fun because I really get to showcase my vocals.”
Don’t be surprised if Invisible pops up all over your radio feeds as it’s a catchy one.