Jingle All The Way ? Blu-ray
Original and Extended versions
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman
Directed by Brian Levant
Fox Home Video 2008
A madcap Christmas comedy starring Ahnold and Sinbad? Who would have thunk. Neither are known for their comedic skills but if you give them a great story with lots of slapstick violence you get giggle All the Way. This Jingle All the Way Blu-ray includes the original and extended version of this Christmas comedy, and other extra features not worth writing to Santa about.
Schwarzenegger is excellent as a workaholic dad who must regain the love of his son by getting a Turbo Man action figure for Christmas; this on Christmas Eve. His competition is postman and angry divorced dad Sinbad. Anyone caught in a Furby, Cabbage Patch Dolls, or Tickle Me Elmo chase for the unavailable at any price toy will commiserate. Their battles are sublime, the final showdown brilliant.
Jingle All the Way works for many reasons. The sarcastic juxtaposition of Christmas music to the more bizarre scene, my favorite is the Nutcracker set to Arnold chasing the magic ball, is great. There are many other great bits like the password to Santa’s hideout being “Jingle Bells, Batman smells”, James Belushi as the black market Santa, and the Santa fight scene
A secondary story involving Ahnold’s neighbor, played by Phil Hartman, adds some fun.
If you are looking for a warm fuzzy Christmas spirit movie, Jingle All the Way may not be that movie. It is more cynical than the usual Xmas offerings. It is however a lot better than most Christmas comedies and a little realism never hurt anyone.
Special features wise the extended director’s cut brings little new to Jingle All the Way. Saty through the credits for the punchline. The Making of a Hero, Super Kids, and Turbo Man Behind the Mask featurettes are banal.