Prancer Returns (2001) John Corbett, Stacy Edwards, Michael O'Keefe, Jack Palance Movie Review

Prancer Returns (2001)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Gavin Fink in Prancer Returns (2001)

Son of Prancer

I didn't like "Prancer" when I watched it, I found it a depressing movie and not the sort of thing I like to watch for Christmas and because I found "Prancer" such a depressing movie I was tempted to avoid its sequel "Prancer Returns" all together. But whilst some will disagree "Prancer Returns" is for me better than the original, lighter in tone yet still with a good heart. To put it simply "Prancer Returns" is much easier to watch and much easier to warm to than the original with nicer characters and more entertainment.

After her marriage broke down Denise Holton (Stacy Edwards - The Bachelor) and her boys Charlie (Gavin Fink) and Ryan (Robert Clark) moved back to her childhood home town. But with Ryan wanting to spend Christmas with his father in Chicago and Charlie being picked on by older boys things are not going as well as she hoped. One day after learning from local Tom Sullivan (John Corbett - Serendipity) about the legend of Prancer, the missing reindeer from the town's Christmas decorations Charlie comes across a reindeer in the woods which follows him home. Deciding to keep the reindeer which he names Prancer it brings him closer to his brother but also brings problems when Vice-principal James Klock (Michael O'Keefe) ends up being bitten by the animal and wants it put down.

John Corbett in Prancer Returns (2001)

I've already said it but "Prancer Returns" is much easier to watch than "Prancer" and it is because it finds a more easy going tone. Like with the original there is some darkness with family problems and the nasty vice-principal but it is no where near as depressing or dark as the first movie. It also has more familiar storylines from a single mum and a former boyfriend to the whole family bonding elements. Now for me that helps make "Prancer Return" a better Christmas movie but for those who prefer more originality will see it as just another Christmas movie recycling familiar story ideas.

What "Prancer Returns" also has are far nicer characters that are easy to warm to. Stacy Edwards and John Corbett play Denise and Tom nicely, never trying to make their characters more than pleasant and it works whilst Michael O'Keefe as Klock is not really evil but a character that you can dislike. Plus when you have Jack Palance playing a sage like old character who befriends young Charlie you can't go wrong. Don't get me wrong as none of the characters are original but in their familiarity they are much easier to watch especially for children who will love this movie because of its lighter tone.

What this all boils down to is that for me "Prancer Returns" is a huge improvement on the original "Prancer" as it dispenses with the depressing tone and going for familiar and fun instead which makes it much easier to watch and a much better Christmas movie for children.

Tags: Christmas Movies


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