Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (Netflix)

 There are so many holiday films to watch, whether they be classics, or newer attempts to capture the joy of the season, whether in theaters, made for television, or for streaming nowadays. And with all these holiday films there are countless adaptations of the classic tale of "A Christmas Carol". Musicals, animations, live-action, and almost everything in between. Using popular characters in the roles, such as the Looney Tunes or the Muppets, from popular actors provides different take on the tale in different settings. When I first saw this version of the classic story, it was because it was all over TikTok at this time last year. For one song in particular, one very powerful song. So I decided to settle in and watch this new, animated, musical take on the classic story all the way through and see what the entire package holds for this version. 

This version as mentioned is an animated musical telling of the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the tightfisted miser, spreading misery in the name of personal advancement. Haunted by three spirits Scrooge is given the chance to learn, grow, and embrace the joy of the Christmas season, and even beyond the holiday. A tale many of us know by heart and seen in plenty of forms long and short. This one hits all the beats with the elements we know,  some scary scenes particularly for younger viewers but adults and older viewers will be just fine, wrapped up with a bright and powerful moment, and a cautionary tale to help others, at this time of year and the rest of the days as well.

This adaptation uses some changed dialogue and some from the original text. Enough to balance it out while not diverting from the source. There are some slight changes from other versions but that can be said of all the versions of this story, using slight diversions from the path to stand on their own. The animation is very nice and clean and the visuals know when to be grand or to express a subtle emotional moment. The animation also takes a more grand scope during the musical numbers making them stand out and working well with the music to drive the scene to the emotional destination it was seeking. All of the voice acting is well performed and works well in every scene and for every character, this is a very well-made version of the holiday classic, and well presented in sight and in sound.

In this tale of learning to look outside yourself, learn from the past, live in the present, and do what you can to shape the future, there is a good share of light-hearted moments, well-made songs, and heartwarming moments. The visuals use moments in the stories to tie things together in a wonderful fashion as the story weaves and threads into what we know. The story shows reasons why Scrooge is the way he is, making him sympathetic and the lesson more real to the audience.

The stand-out piece to this animated feature is that it is a musical, from the opening seconds of the film until the credits there are a few good numbers of songs, but not an excessive amount. All the songs are well sung, well performed, and are pretty good, making this a good musical telling of this story. There is not an overabundance of numbers so each one drives the point it shows up at home, helping progress the plot, adding to the story, and being a delightful surprise every time one appears. There is not a bad song and they are all standouts, but the one that stands tallest is "Later Never Comes"

"Later Never Comes" is a powerful ballad that even if you choose not to watch the film, is worth a listen. It is a soaring song, that hits the emotional point home and moves the narrative along seamlessly while leaving a lasting impact. It is a great song in context or without, it stands on its own in such a way that made me want to watch the film when I first heard it.  This song alone paired with the visuals stands out in so many ways.

Though we have seen this story and will continue to countless times, this is a great adaptation, with good animation, solid writing, and wonderful songs used in just the right amount. I definitely will be adding this to the holiday watch line up in years to come. as this is, alongside the Muppets, a great version for fans of musicals. There may be a few nit picks here or there but overall this is a solid telling that hits all the necessary beats while adding some great songs to make this one, an enjoyable watch.