grimlock6666

At first glance, A Christmas Karen feels like more of the same story you've seen multiple times a year, and in many ways it is, but the fact that it is does not take away from the charm, entertainment, and heart that it brings. Michele Simms is so delightfully terrible as Karen, so much so that it took me a little longer than usual to empathize with her, but eventually I came around. I like how all of the ghosts are unique in their characterizations and how they are all memorable in their own way. I absolutely adore A Christmas Carol, and this modern retelling does not disappoint in warming the heart and making me smile just as much as any other version of the tale.

This movie was a lot of fun. The stories range from bizzare, yet enjoyable, to twisted and terrifying, with enough plot twists to keep any viewer entertained. The atmosphere and setting just add extra chills to this already great film. If you like Creepshow or Tales From The Crypt, you'll like this. If you're a fan of horror, you owe it to yourself to see this movie.

I went into this film with an open mind and I tried to give it a chance. Unfortunately, it felt like I was watching something where there was some good in there, but it was overwhelmed by a large supply of mediocrity.

On the positive side, I like how Shenzi in particular was portrayed, going from just one part of a three character comedy act to being not only the head of the pack, but also being genuinely intimidating. I also felt that the background music managed to capture the emotions their scenes were meant to convey, just like the original film.

Unfortunately, this is where my positives end. I thought most of the voice acting lacked any real energy and that the actors were either going through the motions or just seemed really tired. This problem shines most brightly during the songs, in particular "Be Prepared" which felt like it had all of its' power and terror striped away in favor of a lifeless reading of the lyrics. The animation also lacked any real expressions or personality on any of the lion's faces, as if I were watching a National Geographic documentary and someone decided to dub their voice over the lion's mouth movements.

If anyone else liked this movie or their kids liked this movie, fine, I'm not going to crush another person's enjoyment of a film, but for me, this just wasn't as good as it could have been and it feels like a lot of wasted potential.