‘The Naughty Nine’ Review – Cute Chaos Just In Time For Christmas

Is there any sub-genre more underrated than family movies starring kids at Christmas time? We’ve seen it time and again, a ragtag group of perceived troublemakers embarking on a mission of chaos to achieve a selfishly misguided goal only to have a change of heart in the end, and The Naughty Nine is no different. However, that’s exactly why you should watch it. Ringleaders and best friends Andy and Dulce develop the rare idea of heading to the North Pole to steal back their toys from Santa after being denied gifts for being naughty. What begins as a traditional trope of misfits and hijinks quickly shifts into an action-packed film about nine children working together, each having something to prove. Naturally, things are easier said than done as they quickly get way over their heads, and everything starts to go wrong.

Amid their mix-ups, we discover traits about each character that contribute to why they landed on the naughty list in the first place. Some are silly like Albert landing on the list for being mischievously cute, while others are more intense like Jon Anthony’s unknown reason for being on the list. The interesting thing, however, is not what landed them on the list, it’s that each character falsely believes something about themselves that led to their poor decision-making. For Dulce, it’s the belief that her parents don’t care about her, for Laurel it’s a lack of belief in herself, for Jon Anthony it’s a belief that they’re a fraud, and for Andy, it’s the belief that he can’t be good.

While the Christmassy atmosphere of the North Pole will automatically reel you in – especially the group’s darling rendition of ’12 Days of Christmas’ and the electrifying elf Christmas party – the themes will hit close to home more and make you feel glad that you pressed play. Director Alberto Belli and screenwriters Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas do an excellent job of weaving important topics into the movie without making them too “on the nose.”

Topics that any parent would be happy for their child to absorb such as having a good conscience, maintaining powerful friendships, believing in others as well as yourself, and remembering the importance of family. Although, these are lessons even adults could stand to get a welcoming refresher on as well. That’s the thing about family movies that people tend to get misconstrued. They’re not “kid movies,” they’re for everyone and this is a movie that everyone must see.

As expected, towards the end of the film, you begin to question if the naughty nine are naughty or misunderstood and need a second chance. Luckily, Santa is there – played by the dynamic Danny Glover – to remind us all that daily we have a chance to make things right, and everyone is owed a chance to redeem themselves, you just have to realize that and then work on it continuously. If you enjoyed other holiday films like Santa Hunters, The Ultimate Christmas Present, and Unaccompanied Minors, definitely give The Naughty Nine a try and check it out on Disney Plus. Wrapped in a light-hearted comedic bow just in time for the holiday season, The Naughty Nine reinforces that the most important thing you can do each day isn’t being naughty, it’s just being nice.

The Naughty Nine is currently available to stream on Disney+. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE4M6xQhBFA]