Operation Christmas Drop would have been a successful tale all on its own. Netflix upped the stakes and added a dramatic love story into the mix to get the casual viewer interested in this story.
I was on board with the Christmas Drop from the very beginning. However, I wasn’t interested in the love story between Erica (Kat Graham) and Andrew (Alexander Ludwig). The two are completely different personalities with little to no chemistry. She’s all about keeping everything in order while he’s more of a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy.
Don’t worry, though; their time on Guam will be well utilized, and the pair will eventually come to realize that they do complete one another. I loved how the writers used many island traditions to bring these two together, whether shopping at the local markets or building props for the big Christmas festival.
Throughout the movie, I kept joking that the only thing this story achieved was that it made me interested in Guam. After the film researching the island, I spent some time because it seems like a majestic place to live. The people are friendly, the islands are in beautiful weather all year round, but like Andrew points out, Guam is always hit by typhoons, thus the need for Operation Christmas Drop.
I figured this movie was based on real events, which it is. I was upset that people who live and work in Washington, DC. would not even think twice about this operation and put it on the chopping block. I did not bother to look about whether this film served as a reminder for real or if it was just an opportunity to tell a story.
I may never make it to Guam, and since I don’t serve in the US military, I’ll never be a part of the Operation Christmas Drop. Although I would love to visit the islands someday and see what life is like there. Quite honestly, it would be a great change of pace compared to what I’ve grown up with. 7/10
Ten Stars or Less 