The Christmas Quest

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.

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.

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.

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 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.