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I had high hopes for this movie. I like both the principal actors. But this was a cheap knock off of Indiana Jones. It might have worked but the chemistry between the two was lacking. This was one of those low budget movies with lots of shots of snow covered mountains and roads punctuated with music. How much was filmed in Iceland? Not much I think. What could have done differently to have a better movie? Erin Cahill could have had more airtime. The villains could have been more clearly defined. The actors had limited human interaction during the first full 45 minutes while in Iceland. I'm not saying that this is a bad movie, I am saying it was not very good.

It is the Christmas season. Norse experts, Stefanie Baxter (Lacey Chabert) and ex-husband Chase Baxter (Kristoffer Polaha), go to Iceland to search for the legendary Yule Lads. She is following her mother's research while others are in pursuit. She just doesn't have a gun.

First, there are a lot of Icelandic words. I don't know any of them. I can't remember them. It is in one ear and out the other. Some of the local customs are interesting, but it's almost the same thing. I know that this is a Hallmark movie. They are not going to do gunfights, but they could generate some thrills. At last, the Hallmark gene is too strong and there is no urgency in this quest. They are more likely to take a leisurely walk than go running and jumping.

Right, well I didn't really know what I was in for here, I mean, sure I figured it was a Christmas movie given the movie's title, and since it was a Hallmark movie.

But writers Andrew Gernhard, Marcy Holland and Dustin Rikert broke the traditional Hallmark sappy Christmas movie and delivered something very different. This was sort of a strange hybrid of sappy Christmas movie meets "Indiana Jones". And truth be told, I actually liked it. It was a refreshing change of pace for Hallmark, and it was actually an entertaining storyline that the writers had pieced together. So color me entertained throughout the course of the 84 minutes that the movie ran for.

Sure, there were many things throughout the movie that just didn't really make much of any sense, but this is a movie meant for entertainment, not to be a study in science and human behavior.

It was nice to see a Hallmark movie taking place somewhere outside of USA. Iceland was quite a nice setting for the movie, but of course, it had to be there, given the contents of the storyline.

Of the entire cast ensemble, I was only familiar with leading actress Lacey Chabert, whom actually carried this role quite well. I will say that the acting performances in the movie were good, and it was nice to see so many Icelandic talents on the screen. I just wonder why they weren't speaking more Icelandic throughout the course of the movie. But of course keeping it English appeals to a broader audience.

Visually, then the movie was good. I really liked the Icelandic scenery, because it added so much beauty and grace to the movie.

If you enjoy Christmas movies, and looking for something that breaks the traditional sugar-coated sappy Hallmark formula, then "The Christmas Quest" could be a movie to check out. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the entire movie.

While "The Christmas Quest" doesn't have the contents to become a Christmas classic, I will say that it is a movie that is well-worth sitting down to watch a single time.

My rating of director Dustin Rikert's 2024 movie "The Christmas Quest" lands on a six out of ten stars.

6.9 stars.

Whether it's the failed attempt at a thrilling treasure hunt, or a half hearted romance, this story is a little of both and a lot of nothing. Why attempt this kind of impact if you know you can't deliver? Indiana Jones this is not.

It's a strange concoction of quest and scenery, but the scenery in Iceland is cold and heartless. If you want to embark on a real adventure, you need more rugged and harsh surroundings, not some fluffy Hallmark set pieces and fake artifacts.

The two main characters are divorced and that alone is a mood killer. It changes the love paradigm to more of a tense conflict and less of a hopeful and romantic experience.

Next, the casting is way off. Chabert does not fit the role, yet insists on portraying hard-core risk taking, adrenaline infused women. He plays the male role sufficiently, but what this film needs are two totally different leads.

The music was good for an adventure and evokes the appropriate mood, but it caters to a more action packed blockbuster and not some awkward Hallmark attempt at an epic journey through the pages of Icelandic lore.

I know they can do so much better, but Hallmark has to preserve their signature props and cinematography schemes and they don't fit the mold for gritty adventure.

Hallmark's sanitised take on Indiana Jones or perhaps Lara Croft, features two big stars: the Queen of Christmas Lacey Chabert and Kristoffer Polaha, fresh off his starring role in 2023's 'A Biltmore Christmas'.

The chemistry between the two leads - who are divorced when they team up to hunt for legendary treasure in Iceland around Christmas, battling some not-really-evil bad guys along the way - is strong. They are both accomplished actors, and their banter is effortless.

But, man, the final reveal really sucked the life out of things, and left me shaking my head. Talk about a letdown! Yikes. Ninety minutes invested...for that? No bueno.

I actually had high expectations for this movie, and I was not disappointed! It was a great blend of adventure and romance. It's always really interesting watching movies that dive into different countries' folklore or traditions, and I have to applaud Hallmark for creating a fun treasure hunt out of the Icelandic folklore of The Yule Lads, while giving it the cute, romantic Hallmark touch.

Lacey Chabert plays Stefanie, an archeologist who is fulfilling her mother's lifelong dream of finding the Yule Lads' treasure with the help of her ex-husband, Chase (Kristoffer Polaha) an expert in ancient Norse language.

It is refreshing to see a different christmas movie by Hallmark, that is for sure.

The typical romance drama set in christmas most of the time uses the same old formula and somehow the settings and acting makes them feel different even if they are the same thing

This is one of those movies that is different, but misses the mark, it is not like Christmas House movie, for example, that breaks the mould and does a good job; the saving grace of this movie is Lacey, the princess of christmas, otherwise this would've been worse.

Still, that doesn't mean it is good, it reaches a 6 due to her, but the movie is not written to shine

The story is predictable, it mixes tropes from movies like National Treasure and Indiana Jones and fits a nordic myth into them, but I don't know, it just feels sloppy, as if they didn't feel like writing the day they wrote this

The whole adventure feels rushed and dumbed down, the "plot twists" are seen a mile away, there are some dumb decisions like, when they are running away from the big baddies, they immediately, with no hesitation jump into the car of someone they know to be against them.

And the ending is, it is not that is predictable per se, but it feels lazy.

I like the two leads, but I didn't like the movie.

This was marketed as an adventure/mystery, maybe even borderline suspense. I didn't find any of those things in this movie.

There was too much of a lack of urgency for this to be an adventure. It was meandering at best.

I never once felt afraid for them. Bad writing? Bad acting? Maybe a little of both.

The ending is from the moon. All of that yammering and concern about breaking a code to find this giant pot of whatever at the end of the Iceland rainbow led to this? A stale cake in an old room full of what consists of Christmas crap. The only real mystery is who lit those candles and turned on the lights?

Bizarre.

Although I really like both main characters, this film just doesn't impress.

Its Indiana Jones flavor, including high volume interludes, and unsuccessful attempt at dangerous chases evokes more of a spoof atmosphere. The Nancy Drew story line combined with once again, a sad attempt at fantasy special effects is disappointing. What I found most disappointing was its Hallmark, corny and cliche ending revealing the true meaning of treasure.

So, with all being said, the only way to accurately describe this movie is to say... I'm not sure exactly what it relates as.

You can make it through its entirety, but in the end, your emotions, quite like the movie are in a state of "vanilla" ism. If you love Lacy Chabert like so many do, it's worth watching just to see the very different and unusual clothing that's been selected for her.

This movie was so ridiculous, it's perfectly emblematic why I watch them. I was literally screaming at the screen. Who lit the candles! How did her mom know she would be there at Christmas! How did the old cave have electricity! How were the potatoes not rotten! WHY THE CAKE. Why does an archeologist travel with a ball gown! Why did the old people invite them to decorate their tree when they literally just found their cat! That movie made me feel like I was losing my mind. Seriously though the lights will haunt me.

But Iceland really is magical, that part is true. 10/10 recommend Iceland but maybe not this movie.

At least Stefanie (Lacey Chabert) and Chase (Kristoffer Polaha) got a free trip to Iceland, right?

How can I say this in the most kind way possible? Well . . . I had no idea of most of the things people in this movie were saying. The Icelandic traditions, history and language obviously deserve proud representation, but the words were so jumbled that I really could not follow this movie. I did try reading the subtitles. No luck. Icelandic words are hard.

This is like the preschool version of The da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones. I hope the movie made sense to someone, but it wasn't me. I like these actors, but dang, this was a major disappointment.

And, who lit the candles in the old cave? Nonsense. Where did the electricity come from?

What if the treasure you seek is a bunch of old crap? Finish this movie and find out. But don't. Just skip it.

Cast Kudos: none

Measuring Christmas Magic: Nope. Zero.

Alternative Movie Titles: Iceland Deserves Better.

Reading the reviews here cracked me up. It's a Hallmark movie not an Oscar movie. It's fun, well acted, and the scenery is beautiful. I've never been to Iceland and this made me want to go there. What a beautiful country.

The ending wasn't as bad as commented here. I actually found the ending awesome. A clever twist. I can usually pick things out quite easily and I never saw that one coming.

I like these two together, which surprised me. In my opinion, this is one of the best movies put out by Hallmark. More of these two together please.

Cue kiss scene at end with snow falling. Ok spoiler, it's Iceland and no snow fell at the kiss. You know there was a kiss so not really a spoiler.

Merry Christmas.

This movie is worth watching for the great shots of Iceland scenery, and just for the novelty of a film shot in Iceland, with bits of Icelandic culture thrown in for good measure.

We have a distinct Indiana Jones style flavor her, with that heroic character even mentioned out loud, as a rich sponsor convinces Lacy, and archeologist, to unravel clues and find a treasure hidden hundreds of years ago.

Polaha plays a language expert, and her ex-husband, reluctantly recruited to join her and translate the clues they will find as they follow a puzzle step by step around the island.

Forget that the clues are in places that would have been found LONG ago, the movie is fun and certainly worth your time.

I created an account on here to write this review. That is how strongly I feel right now that you should NOT waste your time on this movie. I had SUCH high hopes for this movie and was truly enjoying it but oh my gosh the end was AWEFUL! I have never felt so let down in a movie. I feel like I just lost 2 hours of my life and am so unhappy right now. You watch hallmark movies for the joy and warm feelings you get from them and this ending was the opposite of that. Just skip. I'm telling you pick anything else for a happy ending to watch that doesn't let you down.

The only positive I can say this that it had some National Treasure vibes to it. Which is why I enjoyed the movie until the ending was so disappointing. I mean on what planet does a hallmark movie NOT give you a happy ending?! Well the answer is on whatever planet this movie is on.

This was a fun Hallmark holiday adventure romance. The one dark note is that it is the reconnection of a divorced couple, but other than that one sour note it was completely enjoyable. The story is about an archeologist who takes up her mother's life work looking for an ancient Icelandic Christmas treasure. For the adventure she enlists her ex-husband who is an expert in Nordic languages. Together the two head to Iceland where they continue their hunt while amidst all of the Icelandic Christmas festivities that involve a giant cat and 13 mischievous lads.

The writing is fun and both Lacey Chabert (Stefanie Baxter) and Kristoffer Polaha (Chase Baxter) are wonderful. The big draw is the fun Icelandic Christmas traditions....but my favorite scene is the reference to the Hitchcock film Notorious. This is a recommendation for me. I enjoyed the sentiment and the Christmas spirit...but most of all, I enjoy learning about other cultures which is the real draw here.

I was initially excited to watch The Christmas Quest because the plot sounded promising-a heartwarming holiday adventure set in Iceland sounded like a refreshing twist on the typical Hallmark Christmas formula. While the movie had its moments, I was ultimately disappointed.

On the positive side, the scenery was breathtaking. The Icelandic landscapes brought a magical, wintery charm to the screen, and I enjoyed learning about some of Iceland's unique Christmas traditions, which added an interesting cultural element to the story.

However, the dialogue left much to be desired. Many of the lines felt awkward and stilted, which made it hard to connect with the characters or immerse myself in the story. The film had so much potential, but the odd writing kept it from truly delivering the holiday magic I was hoping for.

Overall, The Christmas Quest had a great premise and stunning visuals but fell short due to the clunky script. If you're a fan of Hallmark movies and want to learn about Icelandic Christmas customs, it might still be worth a watch-but temper your expectations.

If you liked Indian Jones, National Treasure, or The Mummy and Hallmark Christmas movies then this'll be right up your ally.

Need I say more, well the 600 minimum character counter says yes.

The movie is repleat with clearly ridiculous clues leading to more poorly hidden clues that 100% would have been found years before now. All wrapped up with a silly bit of made up lore and hidden treasure mythology.

And filled with classic cheesy hallmark dialogue and a standard happy ending.

The acting is great from the leads and not terrible from the supporting cast. Not surprising as Lacey is a veteran of these now.

All in all, very niche in its target audience and nothing spectacular, but worth a watch if it's your niche.