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Arthur Christmas
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Sarah Smith. With James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy.
6.8/10
MOVIHERO RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
For hundreds of years, the Claus family has delegated the title "Santa" to a chosen few of its members, which can be passed down upon retirement. Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in a one-night high-tech operation. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one—Arthur Claus, the current Santa’s misfit son deemed ineligible for the title, who executes an unauthorised rookie mission to get the last present halfway around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.
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6.8/10
MOVIHERO RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTFor hundreds of years, the Claus family has delegated the title "Santa" to a chosen few of its members, which can be passed down upon retirement. Each Christmas, Santa…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for Arthur Christmas.
MoviHero lists November 10, 2011 as the release date for Arthur Christmas. Sarah Smith is the listed director. The listed cast includes James McAvoy as Arthur (voice), Hugh Laurie as Steve (voice), Bill Nighy as Grandsanta (voice), Jim Broadbent as Santa (voice). A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateNovember 10, 2011
GenresDrama · Family · Comedy · Animation
Runtime1h 37m
DirectorSarah Smith
CastJames McAvoy as Arthur (voice), Hugh Laurie as Steve (voice), Bill Nighy as Grandsanta (voice), Jim Broadbent as Santa (voice)
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is Arthur Christmas right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
Arthur Christmas runs 1h 37m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 6/10: a middle-ground pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 4/10. The profile suggests a lower-demand watch, although preferences vary.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 7/10, suggesting a moderate emotional load. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
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MOVIE RATING
MoviHero Rating
MoviHero Rating: 6.8/10 from 1,704 votes. Updated Nov 15, 2026.
Rating data supplied by TMDB, shown on a 10-point scale. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from scores submitted here.
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing6/10
Emotional Impact7/10
Mind-Bending2/10
Scary1/10
Violence2/10
Rewatchability6/10
Attention Required4/10
VIEWER REVIEWS
What viewers say about Arthur Christmas
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“A good watch. I had a fine time watching 'Arthur Christmas' . The plot is a little light, with a fairly simple event taking a…”
Viewer reaction
“It is actually quite hard to find innovative ways to tell Santa stories now, but this one does do quite well on that score.”
Selected review excerpts supplied by TMDB. Opinions belong to their original authors.
WORDS THAT STAY WITH YOU
Memorable lines
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“It doesn't matter how we got here. The sleigh on the roof, the-the jingle bells, the 8 reindeer. Gwen would've never seen that.”
A CLOSER LOOK
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CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
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SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
Keep the night going.
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