Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

anddontblink This was the first full episode of Doctor Who I watched (I had previously caught bits and pieces and enjoyed it, but last Christmas I sat down and watched this one), and it was a beautiful thing. I love Matt Smith as the Doctor (don't love the series quite as much as with Tennant, but he was helped by a wealth of amazing companions, both in the Tardis and back on Earth), and he is at his best in this episode. When he's allowed to act on his own, without Amy constantly harping on him, he is brilliant.A couple reviews have discussed the unfortunate broken rule of time travel, that you can't go back on your own timeline. Thankfully, they have not repeated this error. Also, upon discussing it with some other fans, we decided that this episode shows what happens when you DO violate that rule. Kazran, even after what should have been a happier adolescence, still ends up bitter, unhappy, and basically exactly the same as he started. Going back on your own timeline doesn't work - it wasn't until the Doctor helped him in the present that he became happier.Either way, it is a beautiful, poignant story, with Matt Smith at his best.

bob the moo Without any Wallace & Gromit and robbed of "big" movies by virtue of everyone seeing them already, the BBC continue to put all their festive spirit on the back of reality dancing shows and the annual outing for Doctor Who. This is not the place for people such as myself that watches Doctor Who for the occasional darkness and engaging plots and just puts up with the kiddie-friendly silliness that it will always have; no, the Christmas special is usually full of colourful, noisy nonsense and Bernard Cribbins in a Santa hat. So there was a certain amount of "strapping in for the ride" when I heard the plot of this years special (which it took me till now to watch – happy Christmas!).The plot is essentially that Amy and Rory are on a spaceship crashing onto a planet but trapped in a thick cloud layer which is controlled by one man on the ground. Kazran Sardick is a real sour dick though and decides to just let the ship crash and kill everyone. Unable to do it without his help, the Doctor decides to travel back in time and show Sardick the miracle of Christmas, thus changing him into a good person and getting him to allow the ship to land. Meanwhile though, the Doctor cannot help but also be mystified by the cloud layer, in which fish freely swim and live. So it is a version of A Christmas Carol with flying sharks basically – sounds like a recipe for silly spectacle and easy sentiment right? Well, a little, but far less than I expected.The viewer does have to deal with the image of a shark harnessed like a reindeer flying through the sky, but otherwise the special is actually very engaging and smartly done. The Christmas Carol aspect is actually pretty good and it even held my interest even though I'm not one for the whole "what a special day Christmas is" thing. Gambon plays his scrooge really well and I thought he gave the special a lot of heart. I had assumed that Jenkins would be a novelty but, while not brilliant, she was reasonably OK. Smith worked the thing as well as one would expect while neither Gillan nor Darvill (who really should not be in it in my opinion) didn't have much to do other than be the plot device – but weirdly the special was better for their absence.Overall this was a really enjoyable Christmas special which (unlike the Poseidon in Space one the other year) actually feels festive due to its content rather than its trimmings. Engaging, quite clever, quite touching while also having the silliness that kids need – much better than I expected it would be.

doctor-934-207111 One imperfection!Great start and yeah a bit of a Star Trek holiday ship rip off I must admit!!The Doctor first begs for the lives of those on board and gets the boot.He then here a Christmas Carol and decides to play Dickens.I do not fault Moffatt for the interference in Time Travel. That actually enhances to the art.And this is fun ( Anyone for a Doctor Who and MArilyn Monroe meetup?)What I did not like was the young Sarkis meeting the old Sarkis.Anyone recall Maydryn Undead and what one brigadier did to another?Also, political power and influence, Moffatt weaves these themes well.Well casted!!

boblipton Dickens' story gets the Doctor Who treatment, full of mad humor and personal tragedy as the Doctor has to reclaim a damaged soul in a world of flying sharks to save Amy, Rory (Arthur Darvill getting an upgrade to Companion status with a front-of-credits listing) and four thousands other people on a crashing space ship. With the great Michael Gambon as that Scrooge-like figure, it takes only half the show to manage the effort -- but series producer Steven Moffat never makes things that simple.As a fancier of Charles Dickens and the Doctor, I am quite taken with another example of how the Doctor treats all time as simultaneous, rushing back and forth to get information from Gambon to get himself out of scrapes half a century earlier.Moffat has shown a dab hand at making Victorian stories sensible to a twenty-first audience in series like JEKYLL and SHERLOCK. I'm glad he has decided to do the same for Scrooge.Oh, and Karen Gillan makes a wonderful Ghost of Christmas Present in a short skirt.