The Wise Kids

A very wise alternative for teens, and parents, looking for more than the standard collection of Christmas holiday cartoons and films.

The title has a clear tie-in with the film, but then gets multiple meanings added to it throughout. There's no lingering or dwelling upon it. The story moves quickly along and stays adventurous. Whether you interpret it as a setup for a sequel or a seed planter, the ending is a masterpiece. It's not a simple wrap-up that lets you disregard the rest of the film. Instead, it reinforces emphasis on the story as a whole.

It's main weaknesses are mostly budget related. It has the made for TV look (though the camera angles and work are still excellent), would have benefited greatly from a couple better actors/castings in the adult roles (the main 3 kids all show exceptional skill), and about 5 more minutes of plot development and scene pauses/extensions throughout the film to help reinforce critical parts that less focused people may otherwise miss.