Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Six-year-old Susan Walker has doubts about childhood's most enduring miracle—Santa Claus. Her mother told her the secret about Santa a long time ago, but, after meeting a special department store Santa who's convinced he's the real thing, Susan is given the most precious gift of all—something to believe in.
This 1994 remake of the beloved 1947 classic follows the familiar story faithfully but adds little new. The plot is warm and earnest but well-trodden, and being a remake of an iconic film limits its novelty considerably. The acting is competent—Richard Attenborough brings genuine charm as Kris Kringle and Mara Wilson is appealing as Susan—but it doesn't surpass the original performances. Cinematography is functional and televisual, lacking the visual distinctiveness of a theatrical release. The ending delivers the expected holiday warmth, satisfying but not surprising. A decent family Christmas film that struggles to justify its existence beyond nostalgia and accessibility for a new generation.