'Northern Lights of Christmas' is a long way from being one of the worst Hallmark Christmas films, of the 2018 batch and overall. It is also a long way from being one of the best. 2018 was a very mixed year for Hallmark when it came to their Christmas output, most ranging between lacklustre and just above average with some very bad and surprisingly good ones as well. So very variable which was not surprising for such a big batch of festive films from that year.
As far as Hallmark's Christmas output goes for 2018, 'Northern Lights of Christmas' is somewhere around average middle. That is very much applicable for their Christmas output overall, the film is around average middle in this regard too. 'Northern Lights of Christmas' is a film with good things and moments, but for me it also had a lot of shortcomings (a few of them being the usual Hallmark gremlins). So feelings are somewhat mixed here.
Shall start with the good things. The production values are quite nice, the scenery being beautiful even. Regardless of questions about authenticity the film for me was easy on the eyes. Some of the soundtrack is nostalgic and appropriately festive. There is evidence of charm and heart and the joy of Christmas is captured well.
Corey Sevier does have a stereotypical role done to death in other Hallmark films, but actually is very charming in it and doesn't come over as too uptight and certainly far from dull. The supporting cast are better than average.
That cannot be said unfortunately for Ashley Williams, really did want to be another reviewer that liked her in 'Northern Lights of Christmas' but sadly that's not the case. Am another person that felt that she tried too hard to the point that she got annoying and rather shrill, she has a lovely smile but overuses it. Her chemistry with Sevier has sweet moments but on the most part it doesn't sparkle enough and when it comes to the development it's both rushed in how too quickly the relationship evolves and also under-baked. The characters are too much like recycled cliches.
Which is pretty much the case with most of the story too, especially in the final third capped off by the as ever too neat and hastily resolved ending. Everything is obvious and there are too many things that happen too conveniently or come over as contrived. The dialogue has too much awkwardness and over-sentimentality with a lot of cheese thrown in too. The music tends to be too loud and doesn't always gel tonally.
On the whole, rather mixed feelings here. 5/10
