Contrived, ungenuine, broadly predictable, with a soundtrack that maintains a tone as consistently upbeat as the smiles that mostly adorn the cast's faces: This is most definitely a Christmas-themed Hallmark Channel TV movie. Characters' personalities, interactions, personal relationships, and dialogue overflow with artifice, as do the scene writing and overall narrative. Direction, technical craft, and rounding details are a little too perfect. In fact, that rather goes for everything about this production, a concoction of pure movie magic - glaringly overfull of good will and charm, and unrealistically improbable but familiar and unsurprising plot progression. I don't think 'Christmas Wonderland' is bad, but even compared to other "made for TV" features, this is a great strain on our suspension of disbelief. Only viewers receptive to the most extreme of ham-handed kitsch will be able to abide what this picture represents - but in fairness, most who sit to watch it will surely already be well aware what they're in for.
Difficult as it may be, the assembled actors do what they can to infuse their roles with believable personality. As is sometimes true with Hallmark or Lifetime original movies, there are even some very recognizable names involved. Melanie Stone and Jake Stormoen have no small number of credits - I've seen a number of their movies, and have found them both to be very capable. Kelly Hu has a similarly small supporting role, and hers is an even more well-known countenance. They and their co-stars are coerced into portrayals that feel as fake as the story we're watching unfold. That's not to say that any of this isn't done well - on the contrary, I think 'Christmas Wonderland' is generally well made, competently constructed all around. But it's clearly, unmistakably geared toward a very particular slant, one of unremitting inauthenticity and holiday happiness - practically to the point of smug pretension. Only a select audience will appreciate this.
For as much as nigh everything here is terribly campy, unreal, and less than credible, there are nonetheless occasional touches of meaningful light humor. With that significant caveat in mind, this is actually modestly enjoyable, even as we're presented with the same themes and ideas that are get time and again in such features. I do think this variation struggles even more with its indelicacies compared to its brethren - viewer beware. Flawed and gauche though it may be, however, this is more passable than it's not. Bearing in mind that this is a film only for those amenable to the direly forced cheese of Christmas-themed TV movies: you could do a lot worse. Though overbearing, against all odds 'Christmas Wonderland' manages to provide the simple entertainment it intends. If you're in any way open to the storytelling and film-making approach of these pictures - just sit back, relax, and soak in the warmhearted silliness.
Difficult as it may be, the assembled actors do what they can to infuse their roles with believable personality. As is sometimes true with Hallmark or Lifetime original movies, there are even some very recognizable names involved. Melanie Stone and Jake Stormoen have no small number of credits - I've seen a number of their movies, and have found them both to be very capable. Kelly Hu has a similarly small supporting role, and hers is an even more well-known countenance. They and their co-stars are coerced into portrayals that feel as fake as the story we're watching unfold. That's not to say that any of this isn't done well - on the contrary, I think 'Christmas Wonderland' is generally well made, competently constructed all around. But it's clearly, unmistakably geared toward a very particular slant, one of unremitting inauthenticity and holiday happiness - practically to the point of smug pretension. Only a select audience will appreciate this.
For as much as nigh everything here is terribly campy, unreal, and less than credible, there are nonetheless occasional touches of meaningful light humor. With that significant caveat in mind, this is actually modestly enjoyable, even as we're presented with the same themes and ideas that are get time and again in such features. I do think this variation struggles even more with its indelicacies compared to its brethren - viewer beware. Flawed and gauche though it may be, however, this is more passable than it's not. Bearing in mind that this is a film only for those amenable to the direly forced cheese of Christmas-themed TV movies: you could do a lot worse. Though overbearing, against all odds 'Christmas Wonderland' manages to provide the simple entertainment it intends. If you're in any way open to the storytelling and film-making approach of these pictures - just sit back, relax, and soak in the warmhearted silliness.