THE BIG GIFT Review: Jarrod Crooks Battles A Beefy, Superpowered Santa To Save Christmas
Wisconsin-based Jarrod Crooks has well over fifteen years on his belt as an independent up-and-comer in acting in, as well as directing or co-directing his variety of projects in both short and long form. He’s been keeping up the habit in the last decade as well, especially with action comedies like 2014’s Dispatched and a few years later with co-helmer Gregory Kuper’s Indie Guys, which I managed to see upon Crooks reaching out to me back in 2017, and which served as an abundantly pleasing introduction to his work going forward.
To that end, Crooks is now planning a December screening of his latest completed work, The Big Gift. Crooks directed the film in addition to starring from a script he wrote together with co-writer/producer Erin Antilla, this time jumping into a more holiday-themed platform for his style of action and comedy direction with an interesting revisionist take on Santa Clause mythology. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time ole’ Kris Kringle himself was reimagined for the big screen, and for this, we get a version of Santa (Scott Brault) that is more than suited for what Crooks brings to the table.
With only days to go until Christmas, Chris (Crooks) is running short on time and funds after being fired from his job, to acquire a rare toy dinosaur for his son, Everett (Indiana Arnold). Desperate to keep his unemployment a secret from his loving wife, Jen (Antilla), and prove to his son how hard-working he is, Chris pulls a few under-the-table shoveling gigs in his snow-covered town and manages to earn enough to acquire the toy online, gift-box and sign it off himself and hide it until Christmas Day. Little does he know, however, that the all-knowing and powerful Santa has other plans.
When a mysterious noise awakens him to a tit-for-tat with a slippery elf in his home in the dead of night, Chris is jettisoned to the North Pole and held captive by a disgruntled Santa, who reveals that he’s stolen Everett’s gift to get even with Chris for removing Santa’s name from the box’s card and crediting himself instead. A whirlwind adventure ensues for Chris who is going to need all the help he can get, as he sets out to not only battle a brooding, pugilistic Santa and his sprightly elves to retrieve his son’s gift, but to also uncover the mystery behind Santa’s campaign of retribution, and, with any luck, save Christmas once and for all.
Modestly produced and envisioned with some ambitious traits, The Big Gift hands viewers another worthy performance by Crooks, backed by a story that is well-balanced and fun throughout, and flexes its best muscles in all the right areas. In proper epic Christmas movie form, the film opens with cinematography that splays over a snowy wilderness for Brault’s Terminator-style entrance as a newly-created Santa, awoken to all the wishes piling into his head before summoning his abilities to contain and regulate them. This incarnation of Santa is especially fitting for the kind of film fandom today that welcomes various iterations of the folkloric Christmas hero in many genres, all the while handing Brault’s iteration of the character enough creative space to exhibit some depth and pathos which drives the story.
Crooks brings his usual energy and ebullience once again for a role that combines the best of what he brings to the table, with ample comedic charm and a lithe screen fighting acumen to boot, and in the good company of co-star Antilla who gets to showcase her physical prowess as a Yogi in a key heist sequence within the film’s second half. Actor D.J. Quaile provides the film’s requisite casting support in the role of an elf who is compelled to help Chris on his mission, along with actor Randy Vongphakdy who has been a longtime Crooks collaborator dating back to their first recorded film credit together, 2006’s Deal With It.
Next to manning the cinematography, Crooks’ approach to action choreography remains the same in its unmistakable execution that easily measures up to the likes of action legend Jackie Chan and his many other mentees and purveyors of cinematic action, like Puerto Rico’s José Manuel and JC Stunt Team member Andy Long Nguyen. The final fight is also a trip (literally) in that the action follows both actors into some weird and wild locales, including a beachfront, an ice maze, and a mountainous canyon far and away from the film’s snowy town setting.
Light-hearted, warm, and with a solemn, introspective message that doesn’t get lost on the viewer amidst the spectacle, The Big Gift marks another return to form for Crooks who deserves more ceremony and coverage than he gets. With The Big Gift, Crooks gets a well-earned credit in his fourth solo-directorial effort for which fans can expect a lean, spirited martial arts action comedy adventure for the whole family. If you’re looking to fill up the space on your Christmas shopping list, a ticket or a disc purchase of The Big Gift will certainly deliver all the holiday joy you can afford.
Wisconsin moviegoers are advised to click the embedded links below for tickets currently on sale for screenings of The Big Gift on December 4 at The Hudson, and December 11 at Cedar Creek Cinema.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!