Klaus ended up being the Christmas animated masterpiece we never knew we needed. There could be a thousand words to describe this Oscar nominee, but the only you need is beautiful. Klaus has to be one of the most beautifully animated movies I’ve ever seen. Couple those pen strokes with one of the most original ideas of how Christmas came to be, and simply have one of the best movies I have ever seen.
In the beginning, I thought this film was going to be off its rocker. What could the storytellers possibly tell us about Santa Claus when the spoiled Post Master’s son gets relocated to Smeerensburg. This tiny island was a sad and angry place, where the only fun activity the townsfolk engaged in was brawling against one another.
Jesper attempts to change all that after a chance meeting with a toymaker named Klaus (J.K. Simmons). The pair begin to deliver toys to kids, who help Jesper reach his goal of 6000 stamped letters. Little by little, the toymaker’s legend grows, and the town slowly comes to life thanks to the kid’s efforts to be happy with new toys. Of course, the best part is the adults in charge of Smeerensburg who try to sabotage the entire operation, but Klaus is wise to their act.
The ending is bittersweet since we all know Klaus is a legend, and legends never die.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s tough to describe how amazing this movie is. If you watched any Christmas movie during your holiday season lockdown in 2020, I would recommend this one. It will be well worth an hour and a half of your time. 9/10
Ten Stars or Less 