‘The Christmas Chronicles 2' is a fun sequel but doesn’t measure up to the first

“The Christmas Chronicles 2” is streaming now on Netflix and immediately it gave me two things I wanted more of after watching the first: Kurt Russell as Santa Claus and Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus. But that’s about it, unfortunately.

The film begins with Kate and Teddy on vacation in Cancun with their mom Claire, her new boyfriend Bob and his son Jack. Kate is miserable because “who would ever want to be on a beach for Christmas?” She also thinks Bob is going to propose to her mom, which in her mind, will mean the memory of her late father will be pushed from everyone’s mind forever. When presented with an opportunity to run away, she jumps at it.

Unbeknownst to her, the driver of the resort shuttle is secretly plotting to overthrow Santa Claus and take control of the North Pole! Using technology he invented himself, the young man who will become known as Bellsnickle opens a wormhole that dumps Kate (and Jack who snuck onto the shuttle) into the frozen wastes of the North Pole!

Santa is able to rescue them and, with the help of Mrs. Claus’ extraordinary potion-making skills, brings them back to perfect health. Meanwhile, Bellsnickle was a stowaway during all this and has finally gotten back into the protective dome that keeps Santa’s Village hidden from plain sight and sets about on his plot to take over Christmas. Can Kate and Jack help Santa and Mrs. Claus fight off crazed elves and stop a vengeful elf from destroying Christmas?

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