Secret Santa (1998) (aka: Dear Santa) starring D.L. Green, Harrison Myers, Debra Rich, Robert Quarry, Richard Gabai, Tena Fanning directed by Fred Olen Ray Movie Review

Secret Santa (1998)   2/52/52/52/52/5


D.L. Green in Secret Santa (1998) (aka: Dear Santa)

Oh Dear, Santa's Secret

It's Christmas and Gordon (D.L. Green) has promised to take his wife Carla (Debra Rich) and son Teddy (Harrison Myers) away, but then lets them down when he agrees to work Christmas on the used car lot selling stolen cars. That's when he gets a late night visit from Lillith (Tena Fanning) one of Santa's elves who tells him that he is to become one of Santa's helpers till he learns his lesson. Disbelieving Gordon is shocked when he starts to turn into Santa Claus.

So let us see; we have a workaholic father who breaks a promise to his family and we have him transforming into a Santa helper where he will learn what is important in life. That makes "Secret Santa", also known as "Dear Santa" one heck of a cliche Christmas movie and there is nothing wrong with that as many a Christmas movie is built from recognizable cliches. The trouble is that what is done with those cliches is so dull, so uninspiring that "Secret Santa" is a slog of a movie which starts slowly and never gets any better.

Now in fairness "Secret Santa" isn't some big budget movie, this movie was done on the cheap with a cast of unknowns and as such it isn't the worse movie I have ever come across. But it is what it is and the acting is mostly ropey, the effects are non existent and the wardrobe department looks like they raided a school dress up box. I wish I could find a positive but in truth other than something for really young children to watch to keep them busy I can't find one.

What this all boils down to is that "Secret Santa" is not good and feels every ounce of a low budget movie made by some unknowns. But whilst it is dull and riddled with cliche it is not the worst Christmas movie I have ever watched although I still wouldn't recommend this other than a way to distract little children.

Tags: Santa Claus, Christmas Movies


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