Why Film Buffs Still Call Netflix’s 2019 Hit One of the Greatest Christmas Movies Ever

Klaus is an animated Christmas movie that came out on Netflix in November 2019. It was made by Spanish filmmaker Sergio Pablos, who also directed the film for the first time in his career.

His studio, The SPA Studios, produced the movie, while Netflix handled its release around the world. From the start, the film stood out because it used traditional hand-drawn animation instead of computer animation, which many viewers and critics appreciated.

The movie tells a new version of how Santa Claus came to be. The story is set in a fictional town far to the north during the 19th century. It follows a selfish postman who is sent to a frozen island town as punishment.

There, he meets Klaus, a quiet and lonely toymaker. Their friendship slowly changes the town and the people living in it. Rather than focusing on magic, the film centers on human behavior, kindness, and how small actions can lead to bigger change.

The voice cast includes Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Joan Cusack, and Norm Macdonald, whose role in the film became his final movie performance released during his lifetime. Many reviews pointed out that the voice acting helped make the characters feel real and emotionally strong.

When Klaus was released, it received strong praise from critics. Reviews often focused on the animation, the emotional tone, and the storytelling. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film earned a 95 percent approval rating based on dozens of reviews.

The site’s overall opinion described the movie as “Beautiful hand-drawn animation and a humorous, heartwarming narrative make Klaus an instant candidate for holiday classic status.” Metacritic also showed mostly positive reviews, giving the film a score that reflected general approval from critics.

Some well-known critics shared their thoughts publicly. John DeFore from The Hollywood Reporter praised the film for creating its own version of Santa’s story. He wrote, “Sergio Pablos’ Klaus invents its own unexpected and very enjoyable origin story for the big guy who gives out toys every Christmas eve.”

He also noted that the film avoids overused holiday themes and stands on its own. On the other hand, Peter Debruge from Variety had a more mixed reaction. He felt the story tried to do too much and said, “What goodwill the movie does inspire owes more to the splendid visual world than to anything the story supplies.”

You can check out the trailer on YouTube.

The film’s success was not limited to reviews. According to viewing data shared by Netflix with Reuters, Klaus was watched by nearly 30 million households worldwide in its first month. This showed that the movie connected with a large audience, not just critics. Industry publications also noticed its impact, with Animation Magazine naming Klaus the best animated film of 2019, placing it ahead of major studio releases like Toy Story 4.

Klaus also performed very well during award season. It won seven Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Directing. It also won Best Animated Film at the British Academy Film Awards.

The movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, making it the first animated film from Netflix and the first animated streaming release to receive an Oscar nomination. While it did not win the Oscar, the nomination itself was seen as a major milestone for streaming platforms.

In the years since its release, Klaus has continued to appear on lists of recommended or underrated Christmas movies. Outlets like Deseret News have encouraged viewers to revisit it during the holiday season. The film has also continued to receive recognition at international award shows, including wins at the Quirino Awards and nominations at European film events.

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