Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!

Life is full of awful, scary, and full of serious things. You know what is refreshing? A bit of mindless watching that is not important or meaningful or relevant. Sometimes we just need silly fun. Stupid, silly, completely unbelievable fun. This ridiculous movie makes my children laugh. And it makes me laugh. It even makes my husband laugh (no mean feat).

There are a lot of talented, serious, and celebrated actors in this movie who are not taking themselves seriously. And isn't that refreshing!

The show itself is the highlight. So many clichés. Jessica Hynes arriving on the stage sitting in a flying wreath as the child singing sensation who's never moved on... The bleak, Dickensian number... The important classical piece... the totally awful rap number... and my favorite, "All I Want is Christmas Stuff". HAHAHAHAHA.

And of course, TWO David Tennants.

Don't be a Scrooge. Have some fun.

A step down, even if it isn't anything all that bad to be honest.

'Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!' is actually, only a tad, more serious than the first film, though it still features all the shenanigans that you'd expect from it. David Tennant is an upgrade on Martin Freeman, as is Joanna Page on Ashley Jensen. Marc Wootton is basically the same, as are Jason Watkins and Pam Ferris.

This one doesn't have as much charm as the original, not helped by the majority of it feeling like a copy. Sure, some things are changed but it's practically the same story - except for that fact that there is no actual Nativity play involved, so there's that. I still didn't dislike it though, it serves its purpose I guess.

I only stumbled on this by accident, and that's why I never saw the first film. I bet it was better, since most "first parts" of a series of films is better than the follow-ups, but nontheless this was quite fun. I don't have kids, so I watched it alone - not even during Christmas-Season - and I still had fun for the most parts. With no expectations to it whatsoever, I was pleasantly surprised. What was a bit annoying are the endless singing-numbers at the end, though that's not at all due to the talent of the singers and dancers but for the needless dragging on. Saying I don't have kids doesn't mean I don't KNOW kids - I work with them, every agegroup, and therefor I can with confidence say that no teenager would be caught dead watching this. But kids up until nine or ten would probably laugh a lot. *I* did laugh a lot, which is due to the cast (especially David Tennant and Joana Page) and the sheer ridiculousness of the whole plot. Seven stars, because it does drag a bit and since what I personally would have liked to see more of was cut short due to having children perform on stage. Would have preferred more wilderness-adventures for myself in exchange. So. Seven. Not too shabby

It is better than suggested on here. There is a lot of crap on the Hallmark and Christmas channels that average 5 or 6/10 and this a lot better than those.

It is not great by any stretch but the production and acting is much better and although it took too long to get to the ending, there are more than enough laughs to make it worthwhile.

There are many out there who have no sense of fun anymore and have hammered this film.

The truth is it's not an Oscar winner but it's fun. We sat in a packed cinema screen of all ages who laughed their way through with a few tears in places and afterwards left feeling good.

That's what this film does and all those who have seen it I know say the same - yes it's silly and childish - but it's meant to be!

Ignore the so called film experts - we can all call ourselves that and justify it in some way - and just enjoy it for what it is, a simple film which doesn't take itself seriously with a great message running through it.