The Santa Clause 2 (2002): Dir: Michael Lembeck / Cast: Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Spencer Breslin, Eric Lloyd, David Kromholtz: Fine plot concept with 2 symbolizing two clauses and two individuals. The idea of introducing Mrs. Clause through another clause is ideal but the playful use of violence is not. Scott Calvin's son is on the naughty list. He must find a Mrs. Clause before Christmas Eve or he will turn back to his old self. A toy Santa is created to continue his duties thus fooling the elves while Calvin quests for Earth. Unfortunately the replica Santa malfunctions and decides to follow the rules thus having coal put in stockings. Director Michael Lembeck does his best to employ as much originality as he can but fooling of the elves with a fake Santa is against character and questionable content for the intended audience. Tim Allen balances the two roles with great comic timing. Elizabeth Mitchell as a principal is obviously set to be Mrs. Claus but their sudden match up is a tad bit sudden. It is missing the courtship part. It is also a bit stereotypical that she suddenly gain weight. Spencer Breslin is amusing as an inventive elf. Eric Lloyd returns as Calvin's son but his role is not as broad. David Krumholtz again plays Bernard the elf who seems ever harassed and irritable. Great visual effects will keep themes from melting away. Score: 6 / 10

I'm not a big fan of "The Santa Clause" and in fact, I don't really think it's a good movie for a number of reasons. You would expect then, that I would dislike the sequel even more, because unless you're one of the few exceptions, sequels rarely turn out to be as good as the original. In this case, I actually think that "The Santa Clause 2" is a better film than the first and I think that if you liked the first one, you'll like this one too. Set a number of years after the first movie, Scott Calvin is now firmly ingrained in his position as Santa. Eric Lloyd as his son Charlie is all grown-up into a rebellious teenager (and a much better actor). The trouble comes when Santa's elves reveal to him a second, secret clause. He needs to get married. If he doesn't by December 25th, he will lose his Christmas powers. While a robotic Santa is created to keep the North Pole running, Scott has to go back to the human world in order to find a wife and straighten out his son, who is now on the "naughty" list.I was actually surprised to see how many of the actors came back for this second film. Actually after doing some quick research, I realized that EVERYONE is back. I didn't recognize some of the cast, like Wendy Crewson and Eric Lloyd at first, but a quick trip to the internet confirmed that yep, they're all back. Now isn't that a refresher? I half expected what I assumed was a direct-to-DVD sequel to have none of the same actors except for the odd person that needed to buy a new boat and star Tim Allen. I think this adds a level of believability to the story because the cast have good timing and chemistry between each other. As I mentioned earlier, the acting, particularly from the young performers has gotten significantly better. Looks like they took some acting classes between 1994 and 2002 and I'm always excited to see people becoming better at their craft.I like the story of this film as well. OK, it's kind of contrived at first, but once it gets moving, it's pretty creative. There are two plots going on, the first with the robot Santa running the North Pole (and yes, that goes about as well as you expect it to) and the other has Scott having to not only find a wife in 28 days (no small feat) but also looking for a way to discipline his son and get him off the "naughty" list. I like these stories a lot better than the plot we had in the first movie. Scott has to find a nice lady to spend the rest of his life with (and I'm not sure how long that will be, does Santa become an immortal like the elves?) and that is going to be pretty tricky. He only has until Christmas Eve, and the guy's been not only out of the dating game, but gone from the human world for some time now. His Santa powers are dwindling, which means he begins looking more presentable, but they're not quite gone so he has a bit of magic left to help ease the process of getting someone to fall in love with him (and they don't make it creepy, no worries). I like that idea, there's a lot of potential there. I thought that the lady that Scott was getting attached to was quite good too. I would assume that it's a spoiler if I list even the actresses' name here, but for the record, I thought she played a credible character and that she and Tim Allen had good chemistry going. The love plot is rushed (the movie admits it) but it really worked for me. I also liked the side plot of Charlie and his father having to connect again. Think of the scandal if Santa's own son was on the naughty list! In a smart move, that's not the bulk of the movie, it's just a side plot. That shows some forward thinking. Good job screenwriters!To me, "The Santa Clause 2" is better than the first one because we're used to this universe the plot is set in, the actions of the characters make more sense and it brings back everything that was good about the first movie while dropping everything that didn't work. I believed the love aspect, I thought there was just enough witty, sarcastic banter between Tim Allen and the other cast members to satisfy your itch for comedy, I even liked the reindeer and their Scooby-Doo-style talking mannerisms. Maybe my expectations were low,but this sequel comes off, to me at least, as not just a cash grab and an excuse to make more money off of a holiday-family favorite, but as a decent idea that's worth bringing to the screen. I don't think it's mind-blowing in terms of quality, but I do recommend that you see it if you have seen the first film. It actually makes me reconsider (if only a little bit) some of my criticisms of the first movie. Maybe I'll give it another shot. I say don't let your first impressions turn you away from "The Santa Clause 2"; it's actually a fun, light, holiday movie. (Full-screen version on DVD, December 21, 2014)

A sequel to the immensely likable The Santa Clause, 'The Santa Clause 2' is An Entertaining Sequel, that works big time!'The Santa Clause 2' Synopsis: Scott Calvin has been a humble Santa Claus for nearly ten years, but it might come to an end if he doesn't find a Mrs. Claus.'The Santa Clause 2' is uncomplicated, undemanding entertainment. It delivers the right amount of fun it promises. The Screenplay is nicely written, offering sweet & cute moments almost throughout. Michael Lembeck's Direction is decent. Cinematography, Editing, Art Design & Make-Up, are appropriately done. Performance-Wise: Tim Allen is absolutely lovable as Santa. The talented actor holds your attention from start to end. Also memorable is Elizabeth Mitchell, who enacts the leading-lady, wonderfully.On the whole, 'The Santa Clause 2' is fun!

A rather forced sequel at times. I hated this on my initial viewing 8 years ago, as it spat on the memory I had of the original. This year I watched them back to back and it actually played a lot better. The film still has some major issues. Most of all, it can't balance the adult and children's views. The tone is very slapstick and childish. Bernard seems less bitter, and Breslin is boy that shouts rather than acts. He seems to try and copy the mannerisms of his favorite actors. Despite the immature tone, we have a love story which isn't all that interesting. There are some great heartwarming bits, such as the Secret Santa scene, but Allen also comes off as desperate (which his character is) and creepy sometimes. The fake Santa is a great comedic villain, and the fun Allen has with him makes up for the slow romance and seriousness he displays elsewhere. A bit disappointing, but worthwhile over Christmas.