Every year, there seems to be more and more Christmas movies coming out with the intent of becoming the next big holiday classic. One of those newer Christmas movies in Dear Santa, which stars Jack Black and follows a young boy who accidentally sends his letter to Satan instead of Santa due to a spelling error. This causes the wrong magical figure to pay him a visit.

It’s been getting slammed by critics and audiences, with them saying that the acting isn’t very good and that the premise feels like a kids’ movie but the humor is more for adults. I disagree, though. To me, Dear Santa is campy fun.

Tonally, it feels like a 90s comedy that puts a random big celebrity in a ridiculous role for a holiday movie, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle All the Way, Hulk Hogan in Santa with Muscles, or Tim Allen in The Santa Clause. Seeing Jack Black playing Satan disguised as Santa gives off the same vibe as seeing the jacked bodybuilder that is the Terminator playing a typical workaholic dad or Tim Allen playing a divorced dad gradually transforming into Santa after accidentally killing the previous one.

If this film came out fifteen to twenty years ago, it would have been regarded as a cheesy classic that people make a point to watch every year around the holiday season. People would likely be showing this to their kids as a right of passage, like what’s done with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. 

Obviously, it’s far from an amazing, award-winning art piece of a movie. It probably wouldn’t have even been worth paying to see in a movie theater if it was released there. However, it’s  still fun to watch on streaming during the Christmas season. Having it feel like a family comedy but with adult humor makes it perfect for adults who are nostalgic for something like this, like myself. There are plenty of lines and moments that are hilarious, either because they are genuinely clever or because they’re just plain dumb.

In response to the critiques of the main kid’s acting, it’s charmingly goofy. Sure, it’s a rather awkward performance, but it’s for an awkward character in a silly movie. It fits, especially when he’s put into ridiculous situations.

I absolutely love entertainment that’s silly and ridiculous. This movie offers the same entertainment value as an old campy horror flick; it’s not scary, but it’s fun to watch. Plus, the premise is unironically very clever. If you enjoy the same type of campy fun, give Dear Santa a watch and see how you feel about it despite what the reviews say.

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