The Christmas Quest

6.9 stars.

Whether it's the failed attempt at a thrilling treasure hunt, or a half hearted romance, this story is a little of both and a lot of nothing. Why attempt this kind of impact if you know you can't deliver? Indiana Jones this is not.

It's a strange concoction of quest and scenery, but the scenery in Iceland is cold and heartless. If you want to embark on a real adventure, you need more rugged and harsh surroundings, not some fluffy Hallmark set pieces and fake artifacts.

The two main characters are divorced and that alone is a mood killer. It changes the love paradigm to more of a tense conflict and less of a hopeful and romantic experience.

Next, the casting is way off. Chabert does not fit the role, yet insists on portraying hard-core risk taking, adrenaline infused women. He plays the male role sufficiently, but what this film needs are two totally different leads.

The music was good for an adventure and evokes the appropriate mood, but it caters to a more action packed blockbuster and not some awkward Hallmark attempt at an epic journey through the pages of Icelandic lore.

I know they can do so much better, but Hallmark has to preserve their signature props and cinematography schemes and they don't fit the mold for gritty adventure.

Right, well I didn't really know what I was in for here, I mean, sure I figured it was a Christmas movie given the movie's title, and since it was a Hallmark movie.

But writers Andrew Gernhard, Marcy Holland and Dustin Rikert broke the traditional Hallmark sappy Christmas movie and delivered something very different. This was sort of a strange hybrid of sappy Christmas movie meets "Indiana Jones". And truth be told, I actually liked it. It was a refreshing change of pace for Hallmark, and it was actually an entertaining storyline that the writers had pieced together. So color me entertained throughout the course of the 84 minutes that the movie ran for.

Sure, there were many things throughout the movie that just didn't really make much of any sense, but this is a movie meant for entertainment, not to be a study in science and human behavior.

It was nice to see a Hallmark movie taking place somewhere outside of USA. Iceland was quite a nice setting for the movie, but of course, it had to be there, given the contents of the storyline.

Of the entire cast ensemble, I was only familiar with leading actress Lacey Chabert, whom actually carried this role quite well. I will say that the acting performances in the movie were good, and it was nice to see so many Icelandic talents on the screen. I just wonder why they weren't speaking more Icelandic throughout the course of the movie. But of course keeping it English appeals to a broader audience.

Visually, then the movie was good. I really liked the Icelandic scenery, because it added so much beauty and grace to the movie.

If you enjoy Christmas movies, and looking for something that breaks the traditional sugar-coated sappy Hallmark formula, then "The Christmas Quest" could be a movie to check out. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the entire movie.

While "The Christmas Quest" doesn't have the contents to become a Christmas classic, I will say that it is a movie that is well-worth sitting down to watch a single time.

My rating of director Dustin Rikert's 2024 movie "The Christmas Quest" lands on a six out of ten stars.

I had high hopes for this movie. I like both the principal actors. But this was a cheap knock off of Indiana Jones. It might have worked but the chemistry between the two was lacking. This was one of those low budget movies with lots of shots of snow covered mountains and roads punctuated with music. How much was filmed in Iceland? Not much I think. What could have done differently to have a better movie? Erin Cahill could have had more airtime. The villains could have been more clearly defined. The actors had limited human interaction during the first full 45 minutes while in Iceland. I'm not saying that this is a bad movie, I am saying it was not very good.

This movie was so ridiculous, it's perfectly emblematic why I watch them. I was literally screaming at the screen. Who lit the candles! How did her mom know she would be there at Christmas! How did the old cave have electricity! How were the potatoes not rotten! WHY THE CAKE. Why does an archeologist travel with a ball gown! Why did the old people invite them to decorate their tree when they literally just found their cat! That movie made me feel like I was losing my mind. Seriously though the lights will haunt me.

But Iceland really is magical, that part is true. 10/10 recommend Iceland but maybe not this movie.

I was initially excited to watch The Christmas Quest because the plot sounded promising-a heartwarming holiday adventure set in Iceland sounded like a refreshing twist on the typical Hallmark Christmas formula. While the movie had its moments, I was ultimately disappointed.

On the positive side, the scenery was breathtaking. The Icelandic landscapes brought a magical, wintery charm to the screen, and I enjoyed learning about some of Iceland's unique Christmas traditions, which added an interesting cultural element to the story.

However, the dialogue left much to be desired. Many of the lines felt awkward and stilted, which made it hard to connect with the characters or immerse myself in the story. The film had so much potential, but the odd writing kept it from truly delivering the holiday magic I was hoping for.

Overall, The Christmas Quest had a great premise and stunning visuals but fell short due to the clunky script. If you're a fan of Hallmark movies and want to learn about Icelandic Christmas customs, it might still be worth a watch-but temper your expectations.