The Santa Clause 2

Directed by Michael Lembeck
Produced by Robert F. Newmyer
Brian Reilly
Jeffrey Silver
Written by Don Rhymer
Cinco Paul
Ken Daurio
Ed Decter
John J. Strauss
Based on characters created by
Leo Benvenuti
Steve Rudnick
Starring Tim Allen
Judge Reinhold
Wendy Crewson
Elizabeth Mitchell
David Krumholtz
Eric Lloyd
Spencer Breslin
Music by George S. Clinton
Cinematography Adam Greenberg
Editing by David Finfer
Edward A. Warschilka
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s) November 1, 2002 (2002-11-01)

Running time 105 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $65 million[1]
Box office $172,855,065

Santa Clause 2 (also known as The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause) is a 2002 American romantic comedy-holiday film and the sequel to the 1994 film, The Santa Clause. All the principal actors from the first film reprise their roles, except for Peter Boyle, who returns portraying a different minor character. According to Box Office Mojo, the film cost around $65 million to make and had domestic (U.S.) box office receipts approaching $139 million. The film was followed by one other sequel, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, made in 2006.

Plot
Eight years have gone by since divorced father Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) first took up the Santa Claus suit, and became subject to The Santa Clause. Now he is at the top of his game at the North Pole and could not be happier, at least until Bernard (David Krumholtz) and Curtis (Spencer Breslin), the Keeper of the Handbook of Christmas break the news that there is another clause - the "Mrs. Clause" that is so old it had only just been noticed hidden in the contract. The clause stipulates that only married men can become Santa; should a single man be subject to the Santa Clause he must find a bride within eight years of his first assuming the new job as Santa. This means Santa/Scott now has to get married before the next Christmas Eve, or the clause will be broken and Christmas will die away. At the same time, Abby the Elf (Danielle Woodman) delivers news that is more distressing; his 16-year-old son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd), is on the naughty list. It then cuts to him one night defacing the walls of the school gymnasium from the skywindow until he is caught by Principal Carol Newman (Elizabeth Mitchell). Scott must return to his hometown to search for a wife and set things right with Charlie. He even brings this up when visited by the Council of Legendary Figures consisting of Mother Nature (Aisha Tyler), Father Time (Peter Boyle), Cupid (Kevin Pollak), the Easter Bunny (Jay Thomas), the Tooth Fairy (Art LaFleur), and the Sandman (Michael Dorn). In the meantime, Scott stays with his ex-wife Laura (Wendy Crewson) and her husband Neil (Judge Reinhold). The two have grown to adore and idolize him simply because he's Santa. They now have a daughter named Lucy (Liliana Mumy) who sees Scott as an uncle-figure but suspects that he's Santa Claus.

To cover for Santa's prolonged absence, Curtis helps him create a life-size toy replica of him, much to Bernard's horror. However, this larger-than-life legalist cannot find any grace, mercy, or slack in his plastic heart for minor infractions by children all over the world, having followed the handbook too strictly. Toy Santa takes control of the North Pole, turns it into a strict and evil government, with a duplicated army of life-size toy soldiers and he puts Bernard under house arrest when Bernard attempts to tell the elves that Toy Santa is a fake. He thinks that everyone is naughty, (just by their small mistakes) and he plans to give the entire world lumps of coal.

Because of the impending end of his contract, Scott undergoes a "de-Santafication process" which gradually turns him back into Scott Calvin. As Scott, he has a limited amount of magic to help him perform miracles. He attempts to reconcile with Charlie, who keeps vandalizing his school to get attention. They both hit the cold hard wall of Principal Carol Newman when Charlie defaces the lockers.

Charlie confesses to Scott how hard it is for him that Scott is never around like other fathers, and reveals the stress he is under to conceal the secret that his father is Santa. Scott vows to try harder as a dad, and they reconcile.

After a few failed dates, Scott finds himself falling for Carol. He accompanies her in a sleigh to their school faculty Christmas party, which turns out to be dull and boring. Using a little of his Christmas magic, he livens it up by presenting everyone with their childhood dream gifts (much like he did for Laura and Neil in the first film). He makes a special presentation to Carol, and, with his last remnant of magic, wins her over and they kiss passionately. However when Scott explains his reason for dating her as Santa Claus, Carol balks, believing that he is mocking her childhood (where she was teased for believing in Santa), until Charlie manages to convince her by showing her his magic snow globe.

Curtis flies in to deliver the dreadful news about the Evil Toy Santa's coal binge and urges him to return to the North Pole to save Christmas. Unfortunately, Scott has used up the last of his magic wooing Carol, Comet has eaten too many chocolate bars and Curtis' jetpack has been destroyed upon arrival. After convincing the Tooth Fairy that he is Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy flies Scott and Curtis back to the North Pole but they are captured by the toy soldiers. Toy Santa wastes no time in tying him up with Curtis, but Charlie and a now-believing Carol spring him free by summoning the Tooth Fairy to fly them there after Charlie lost a tooth. He goes after Toy Santa, who has already left with the sleigh, riding Chet, a reindeer-in-training, and they both battle over the reindeer. With an army of elves, Carol, Bernard, Charlie, and Curtis lead a snowball war to overthrow the toy soldiers. During the battle, Toy Santa and Scott accidentally causes the sleigh to crash back into the village (as well as crashing on the rest of the toy soldiers). Toy Santa is forcibly restrained by the elves and is reduced to his normal six-inch height. Scott marries Carol in a ceremony presided over by Mother Nature herself. He transforms back into Santa, and Christmas proceeds as it always has and he and Carol have a three month honeymoon to go on the next day. In addition, he and Charlie reveal the truth to Lucy about him being Santa Claus so she is now in on the secret, as well as pick up Comet.

Cast
Tim Allen as Santa Claus/Scott Calvin/Toy Santa
Elizabeth Mitchell as Carol Newman
Eric Lloyd as Charlie Calvin
Wendy Crewson as Laura Miller
Judge Reinhold as Dr. Neil Miller
Liliana Mumy as Lucy Miller
David Krumholtz as Bernard the Arch-elf
Spencer Breslin as Curtis
Danielle Woodman as Abby the Elf
Aisha Tyler as Mother Nature
Peter Boyle as Father Time; Boyle was also in the first film playing Scott's boss.
Jay Thomas as the Easter Bunny
Kevin Pollak as Cupid
Art LaFleur as the Tooth Fairy (the Molinator/ reference to The Terminator)
Michael Dorn as the Sandman
Molly Shannon as Tracy
Victor Brandt as Reindeer
Bob Bergen as Comet (voice)
Kath Soucie as Chet (voice)

Soundtrack Original Release Date: November 1, 2002

1. Everybody Loves Christmas - Eddie Money
2. Santa Claus Lane - Hilary Duff
3. Santa's Got A Brand New Bag - SHeDAISY
4. Jingle Bells - Brian Setzer
5. Run Rudolph Run - Chuck Berry
6. 'Zat You, Santa Claus? - Louis Armstrong
7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
8. Blue Holiday - The Shirelles
9. Unwritten Christmas - Unwritten Law & Sum 41
10. I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus - Brenda Lee
11. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Steve Tyrell
12. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy

Critical receptionThe Santa Clause 2 received mixed reviews from critics, garnering a 54% "rotten" critical approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes, as opposed to the 80% "certified fresh" rating of the first film. The site's consensus is that "Though it's harmless as family entertainment and has moments of charm, The Santa Clause 2 is also predictable and forgettable." [2]

[edit] References1.^ a b "The Santa Clause 2 (2002) - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=s…. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
2.^ "The Santa Clause 2 - The Mrs. Clause". Rotten Tomatoes. www.rottentomatoes.com/m/santa…. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
[edit] External links Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Santa Clause 2

The Santa Clause 2
The Santa Clause 2 at the Internet Movie Database
The Santa Clause 2 at AllRovi
The Santa Clause 2 at Rotten Tomatoes
The Santa Clause 2 at Box Office Mojo