Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: A teen inadvertently unleashes a killer Christmas shark after receiving a magic pen that brings any drawing to life.
Review: I don't care what anyone says, this is a Christmas classic! Yes, this movie is cheesy and beyond low-budget, but it has a charm to it. More importantly, "Santa Jaws" has self-awareness and is plain fun, capturing that Christmas spirit. The tone and goofiness gives off vibes similar to "The Machine Girl" just lacking the fan service. If the filmmakers had a bigger budget, and kept the ending more whimsical, this could be essential Christmas viewing.
Okay, so the hardest part in convincing someone to give this little movie a chance is the titular character herself, Santa Jaws. This wreaks of being one of a thousand trash movies about killer sharks--I get that. But it's not! The story embraces the outlandish nature of Santa Jaws as she's merely a creation of two teens. These two want to make their own comics and hang out at the local comic shop. The main kid, Cody, receives an antique pen that can bring anything the user draws to life. So, in a way, the story has genie-esque ideas merged with the killer shark...eh, sub-genre(?). There are a lot of creative ideas incorporated into the movie that help elevate it. For example, I like that Santa Jaws goes after people celebrating Christmas yet is vulnerable to Christmas-themed weapons. Of course, the best aspect is the family-friendly nature to the antics with lame puns and homages to the likes of "Home Alone."
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm well aware of the lameness, bad acting, cheap effects, etc. that is presented here. However, as I've mentioned many times in the past, I'm a sucker for movies with charm. Between some of the character banter, little nuances, and the fun-factor, I can appreciate what the filmmakers were trying to convey. And who doesn't love sharks and Christmas?! The only aspect that I didn't like was the weird ending implying Cody might use the pen for evil or something which didn't fit the tone at all. Nevertheless, audiences should give this movie a chance. It's not going to blow anyone away, but it's like the one Christmas horror movie that's family-friendly besides "Gremlins."
Notable Moment: When Santa jaws reaches its ultimate form with broken ornaments for teeth and a candy cane horn.
Final Rating: 5/10
