Deck the Halls

Deck the Halls **1/2

"Deck the Halls" is not going to get you into the Christmas spirit like "The Santa Clause 3" did, but it's possibly amusing for the season if you don't look into it that hard. Don't go in expecting a masterpiece, and you should probably get a solid five or six laughs from it. And while the script doesn't offer anything new or exciting or even jolly, it's always worth seeing Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick, who probably needed the money.

"Deck the Halls" tells the story of the fued between Steve Finch and Buddy Hall. Around his town, Steve is always regarded as "The Christmas Guy." During the December month everybody seems to want his opinion on their Christmas decorations, lights, parties, everything. Unfortuntely it gets to his head to the point where he drives his family insane with a completely organized December, complete with a giant calender marking off what needs to be done that day, Christmas related. Everything changes when Buddy Hall moves in next door. Buddy seems to be a naturally nice guy, with a wife and two twin daughters. Buddy works in a car dealership. but becomes bored with what the job has to offer. He gets a new obsession when his daughters show him a website with pictures from a satellite showing their block. Buddy notices that his house can't be seen from space-it's too small, and there's too many trees blocking the view. He comes up with the idea of lighting his house with Christmas lights, but takes it to extreme when no matter how hard he tries his house still can't be seen. The newfound passion for Christmas has its repercussions when everybody wants Buddy's advice on the holiday, leaving Steve in the dust. The two begin a battle of wits and lights as Christmas comes closer and closer, and Buddy becomes more and more obsessed with being recognized by the martians above. . .

My rating for "Deck the Halls" stems from the facts that
1) It isn't by means a "good" movie so it can't get my recommendation rating.
2) The people that intend on seeing it will be entertained. It's a harmless Christmas movie, after all.

Did I personally enjoy it? In a way. Parts of it had a few good chuckles. It does resort to cheap laughs at times, and of course there is a scene with a live animal reindeer, and yes the ending does include some carolling, but what else would you expect from a Christmas comedy? It is forgettable, will not be seen again next Christmas, and will indeed probably resort to being shown at 8am on TBS a week before Christmas, but things could be worse. After all, it could've been "Christmas with the Kranks 2," I say shuddering in fear. "Deck the Halls" isn't a must-see, or even worth seeing at all, but for those families looking for a Christmas movie to see will get a kick out of it. Maybe.