Comedic actor, Michael Keaton became a household name in “Mr. Mom.” Then, he played the titular character in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice.” Eventually, he won the role of a lifetime, playing against type as “Batman.” Michael reprised his role as The Caped Crusader in “Batman Returns.” Due to parents complaining about the dark tone, Warner Bros. decided to take Batman on a lighter route. Michael refuses to return in “Batman Forever” when Tim got replaced by the late Joel Schumacher. Val Kilmer took over as the character. Afterwards, Michael’s notoriety was slowly fading. He went from a bat to a snowman in “Jack Frost.”
Released in 1998, (same year Mulan came out) it received negative reviews from critics and movie goers alike. It also failed to recoup a $40-$85 million budget. Only made $34 million. In 2014 Michael made career comeback in an Oscar nominated role in “Birdman.” Too bad, Eddie Redmayne took home the award for “Best Actor.” Anyway, Michael will reprise his role as Beetlejuice in a long-awaited sequel. Tim Burton’s set to direct. Winona Ryder & Jenna Ortega will also appear. It’ll be released on September 6, 2024. Before Beetlejuice 2 comes out, I wanna share my thoughts on Jack Frost. I used to watch this a kid.
I don’t care if SPOILERS are listed. It’s not a good Christmas movie.
Warm & Cold Aspects
Warm: Michael Keaton did a solid job for his performance.
Kelly Preston (may she Rest in Peace) & Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon from Game of Thrones) both did a fair job do their respective performances.
Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil 2003, Ghost Rider, When in Rome) did a sloppy job writing the script. He didn’t double check for rewrites.
Cinematography was shot normally lacking technical issues.
If you have a keen eye, there’s a bust of Batman chained up wearing Superman’s outfit. Shame, Michael never worked with Christopher Reeve for an epic superhero crossover. Had he not fallen off his horse resulting in a broken spine, we could’ve got a Batman and Superman movie. Well, at least Michael reprised his role as Batman in “The Flash” teaming up with the speedster and Supergirl. Close enough.
Steve Nicks’ “Landslide” is played when Charlie builds a snowman. I always thought The Smashing Pumpkins wrote the song.
Cold: Although the snowman’s on the poster as well the marketing campaign, it takes 30 minutes for Jack to appears in snow form.
C.G.I. seems a bit off. Jack’s snowman form is fake sometimes.
Jokes contain unfunny puns giving me flashbacks to Mr. Freeze’s ice puns from “Batman and Robin.”
Somehow a harmonica brings Jack to life as a snowman. Doesn’t make sense how an ordinary instrument has the power to bring a dead person back from the dead. It’s not a mystical amulet or made from Ra’s Al Ghul’s Lazarus Pit. Just a friggin’ harmonica. In the words of Deadpool. “Well, that’s just lazy writing.”
Jack misses Charlie’s game in favor of recording a song at a recording studio. Ugh! I hate it workaholic protagonists in family movies like the other ones listed below.
- Hook
- Beethoven
- Jingle All the Way
- Jungle 2 Jungle
- The Haunted Mansion (2003)
- The Shaggy Dog
- Evan Almighty
- Jurassic World
A Plot Hole involving Jack can revert to human before the ends. Why didn’t he do that after he was brought back? As if Godzilla doesn’t know how to fire his atomic breath.
I didn’t cry when Jack goes to the afterlife. My eyes were dry like a cactus in a desert.
The Final Verdict: D-
Jack Frost is the opposite of heartwarming, coldhearted when it comes to how flawed this movie’s rubbish. If you wanna watch a better Christmas movie with your family, watch “The Polar Express” or something legit. I cannot wait for Beetlejuice 2.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 