One of the most successful Disney yuletide franchises, The Santa Clause is set to make even more money this holiday season with The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause thanks to Canuck Martin Short playing Jack Frost. The story is pretty empty, and the situations pretty predictable, but kiddies are likely to get that fuzzy feeling that the holidays require.
Those who've seen number two know that Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), now Santa Clause, married school principal Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell). Well, now the couple is expecting a baby and Mrs. Claus is a hormonal wreck. To help out, Claus invites Carol's parents (Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret) to the North Pole for Christmas; problem is the in-laws can't know that Scott is actually Santa Claus, so the Pole is now Canada while head elf Curtis (Spencer Breslin) helps along in the deceit. If this wasn't enough chaos, Frost, upset that he doesn't have a holiday of his own, convinces the all-mighty Council that he should serve his "community" service alongside the Elves, but it's only a ploy to cause havoc in Santa's already complicated family life.
Thankfully downplayed is Santa's relationship with his son, now a teenager. Already in the original it was painful to see the boy having to accept his father as Santa, thus someone not around for most of the year. Now he's a teenager and only shows up as a cameo. Most of the film relies on Allen's familiar smirks and physical antics, with Short providing some fatter fodder to the lame lines. The story itself, of course, is a stretch and adults will find themselves bored, but the kids will like the gorgeous sets and the colourful setting.
Strictly for children.

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