Elf

Not that I would want to see Elf as a modern holiday classic every year starting this year, but it's a fine film. Will Ferrel plays his usual idiot charmingly, the film is also pleasantly short and goes by so quickly that you almost don't notice how banal it is. On the one hand, it makes fun of Christmas family movies, on the other hand, it's one of them... And I don’t care. (24.12.2022)

La reunión navideña durante el tiempo de Adviento encontró mi estado de ánimo y debo reconocer objetivamente que me divertí y reí varias veces. Sin excesos ni momentos embarazosos, de alguna manera perfectamente dosificado de todo un poco y fue un éxito. (03.12.2020)

Will Ferrell and his specific humor does not suit everyone. But if you tune in to his wave at Christmas, you’ll get a reward for it, because this movie is rather entertaining. (24.12.2012)

An annoying grump becomes a substitute Santa, an elemental elf becomes a part of the family, and a semi-crazy Christmas comedy becomes a pleasantly sweet gift. (24.12.2007)

It's like dozens of other Christmas movies, but you can't deny the fact that it's brimming with Christmas atmosphere and the story is full of funny and entertaining situations. And on top of that, it has Will Ferrell in the lead role, probably the greatest actor of our time, who doesn't shy away from anything in order to entertain the audience. And that's why I like him and I always enjoy his performances, unless they are part of a downright boring and dull script. Elf isn't a bad comedy, it gives Ferrell the chance to really shine in a way that isn't for a moment outright embarrassing or unbearable. If it’s Christmas and the mood is good, I see no reason to dismiss this cute adventure from the North Pole. 70% (24.12.2012)

At the beginning, there are a lot of jokes that simply stem from the premise that everything is viewed through the lens of Santa and elves actually existing. It's entertaining, but you can see that not much effort went into it. Jon Favreau proves that his success with the Iron Man series wasn't just about being a good director, but rather about luck with the series, collaborators, and especially the fact that comic book adaptations are popular, especially those from Marvel, which build extensive cinematic universes around them. Elf is just an example of Favreau's mediocrity, where he isn't even capable of handling a Christmas story interestingly, despite having great actors at his disposal. It’s terrible trash and kitsch that embodies all the shortcomings of Christmas movies - silliness, pathos, stupid characters, unnecessary romance, etc. Ugh, it’s terrible. (27.01.2014)