The Claus Family series is all about the spirit of Christmas coming alive and keeping the family happy. The first two films were about Jules and his grandfather Noel bonding and understanding many new things about each other and their family legacy. Jules took over the job of Santa Claus and was happy with the work assigned to him. The Claus Family 3, a Netflix original film directed by Ruben Vandenborre, was released on the platform on November 8, 2023. The third film in the series was about the family as a unit taking a vacation as the Christmas season was about to begin.
Spoilers Ahead
How Did Jules And Noel Plan To Work During The Holidays?
This brand-new Christmas movie begins with Suzanne and her family, including her best friend Jet, taking a trip to Innsbruck, Austria, as the holidays were upon them. The family was well settled in Belgium, and Suzanne had started dating Jeff, who was a new addition to the family. It is believed she and Jeff have been in a relationship for a while, and unbeknownst to anyone, she plans to propose to him during this trip. Jules and Norah seemed to be happy with Jeff and the journey they had just embarked on to spend some quality family time. Meanwhile, Noel was worried about carrying out the annual Christmas tasks as the holiday was fast approaching.
Jules and Noel decided to reset the location of the home button on the magical snow globe to make sure they could travel between Austria and the North Pole without any hassle. The grandfather and his grandson have prepared an elaborate plan for themselves so that no one from the family suspects their identity. Unknown to them, Jules’ sister Norah overheard their conversation, and she was fascinated by what she heard.
Did Norah Come To Know Of Her Family’s Christmas Secret?
Norah’s inquisitiveness led her toward the magical snow globe that transported her to the North Pole almost immediately, and she was surprised to witness the world she entered. Norah was not supposed to be a part of this expedition, as this was only for the male members of the Claus family. Jules was made aware of Norah’s discovery, and he tried to keep her from getting involved in the tasks assigned to him and Noel. Norah, being a ten-year-old, was expecting to be treated like a smart child instead of being spoken down to, especially by Jules. Norah was told the family’s Christmas secret rather hesitantly, but Jules did not trust her because of her childlike nature. Their grandfather believed her and made the young girl a part of their first expedition to Mexico. Jules was not in favor of Norah joining them because he felt, as an older child in the family, it was his responsibility alone to take the legacy forward.
How Was Suzanne Planning To Propose?
Suzanne was being helped by Jet to seek romantic ways in which she could propose to Jeff. It was endearing to watch Suzanne go out of her way to make Jeff feel surprised and special. Suzanne’s planned proposal was a role reversal, especially in Christmas-themed holiday movies. It was always the male lead who would plan an elaborate shenanigan to propose marriage, something the audiences have gotten used to. Suzanne deciding to marry him and finding ways to make the right proposal were adorable. At first, she drew a romantic bath but failed. She also planned to do it over a candlelight dinner, but that got thwarted because of her kids. She also considered proposing to him amidst the heavy snowfall, but that did not work because of Yet. Suzanne was an amazing woman and mother, and she deserved all the love coming her way.
Was Making Norah A Part Of Their Expedition A Mistake?
The moment Norah joined the gang of two Santa Clauses, things started going awry. Her very first expedition in Mexico turned out to be a disaster, as she ended up making unwarranted noise in the house, which caused mayhem. Jules and Norah went back to Austria, but Noel was arrested for unlawful entry, and none of them were willing to believe he was indeed Santa Claus. Norah was a young girl who was just getting around being a Santa Claus. Jules was livid at the situation, and a guilt-ridden Norah tried to help a young skier of her age named Felix, who was previously bullying her. In a bid to come across as a helpful person without realizing the consequences of her action, she revealed how the magic snow globe functioned to Felix. The young boy took advantage of Norah’s innocence, stole the device, and refused to part with it.
A heartbroken Norah felt clueless on how to get the object back, with Jules constantly berating her for making matters worse. Jules’ only goal was to bring his grandfather back, and for him, Norah was slowing down the rescue mission. Instead of reprimanding her, Jules could have handled the situation by being calm. His adverse attitude towards Norah led to her making many mistakes. She manages to get hold of the magic snow globe with the help of Gunna, the elf, who was also instrumental in taking her to Mexico as well. Norah was adamant about rescuing her grandfather because Noel went to prison because of her blunder. She aimed to rectify it without involving Jules in the mission.
How Does Jules Save His Grandfather?
Norah, as expected, got stuck right outside the prison along with the magic snow globe. Gunna, who accompanied her to Mexico, went back to Austria with it in a bid to inform Jules about his sister’s daring mission. Jules reached the outside of the prison and apologized profusely for not including her in his mission to get their grandfather back. He was jealous of her inclusion in the group, but he nevertheless saved her from trouble. The magic snow globe was very helpful in transporting them from various points to their destination. Norah and Jules finally rescued their grandfather by distracting the prison guards and the prisoners using candies stored in their North Pole cottage. Norah and Jules were children and did not possess any inherent magic in themselves except for the snow globe to rescue their grandfather. Simple-minded people such as them would only come up with uncomplicated solutions. Although this method could be considered cute, as a narrative, this was a frustrating way to resolve the conflict, which was the crux of the movie.
How Did Noel, Jules, And Norah Get The Magical Snow Globe Back?
Norah and Jules were successful in bringing their grandfather back to Austria. All of them, including the elves, are beyond elated to find Noel back in form from the prison. The prison guards’ last reaction confirmed who Noel was. They finally admitted to having witnessed the real-life Santa Claus in their prison. Norah wanted to rescue Felix, who was stuck inside a cabin in the middle of a strong snowstorm, thanks to her good-hearted nature. Despite all the innocent mistakes she made, Norah turned out to be an honest young girl who would go out of her way to help anyone, including a bully like Felix. The young boy runs away with the magical snow globe once again in a bid to keep it with him for the skiing tournament.
Norah again showcased her good side, rescued the boy from a cliff, and encouraged him to let go of the magical object. Felix was rescued, but the snow globe remained stuck between the mountains. Jules and Norah chose to save a human life and were willing to forget about the magical object. Their upbringing should be lauded for the sacrifice the children made. Norah made lots of mistakes, but at the end of the day, she came out triumphant as a generous person who was willing to help anyone without worrying about herself. She managed to influence Felix to stop emphasizing on winning because he had a long life ahead of him. Felix, being a young kid, was able to soak that message in and refused to follow the instructions of his coach. Norah and Felix were at an impressionable age, and anything they experienced would shape their future. Felix came around, understanding Norah’s intention of bringing out the good side of him.
Jules apologizes for not including Norah right from the start. The chain of sequences because of his mistakes led to them losing the magical snow globe, which was the only ticket to their cottage in the North Pole. Jules was upset because he felt his jealousy got in the way of his actual job, which was to rescue his grandfather. His distraction cost them their legacy, and Jules felt guilty throughout. To his surprise, Noel reveals he still had the magical snow globe because the elves that joined him saved the object from getting destroyed. The elves’ tiny stature helped bringing the object back to the hotel. If the object had been lost forever, Jules would have never forgiven himself. Noel, Jules, and Norah were Santa Clauses by the end of the film and were happy to get their hands over the snow globe. The three of them vanish from a public place and return to the North Pole. It was very uncharacteristic of them to be utilizing the magic of the object in public space. The whole idea of Noel was to not reveal their true selves to anybody. The trio heading back to the North Pole from a civic space was a plot hole that cannot be ignored. Nevertheless, despite many clichéd plotlines, The Claus Family 3 is an endearing watch with minimal distractions.
