Olive is a small dog with a big heart... who loves Christmas more than any other day of the year. When she hears an announcement that due to one of his reindeer being injured, Santa Claus may cancel Christmas unless "all of the other reindeer" help out, Olive (voiced by Drew Barrymore) becomes convinced that he really said "Olive, the other reindeer," and sets out on an unlikely mission to convince Santa that she's the right dog (uh, reindeer) for the job. Along the way she meets a variety of characters who either befriend her, like Martini the escaped zoo penguin (voiced by Joe Pantoliano) or hinder her, like a deranged postman.

Olive, the Other Reindeer may very well entertain the younger set, but the audience who will appreciate it more is adults. This short animated film purports to tell a fairly straightforward story, along the lines of so many other Christmas specials: Christmas is in danger, and everyone is sad, but Olive will save the day and bring the Christmas spirit to everyone! And on that level, it's an entertaining story; what makes it more fun is how it tweaks the conventions along the way, and handles the whole thing with a wry and adult wit.

Olive, the Other Reindeer picks up on the familiar Christmas plot of "We must save Christmas!" and gives it a remarkably realistic spin. You might be wondering how I could use the word "realistic" in the context of a film about a talking dog who decides to fill in as a flying reindeer, but it's true. We all know that "Christmas specials" are really about people, emotions, and relationships; the "Christmas miracle" of the standard holiday film is generally brought about by people suddenly finding kindness and fellowship in their hearts. What we find in Olive, the Other Reindeer is that most of the characters are... well, a lot like real people. Her owner Tim takes out his frustrations on her after learning that Santa is about to cancel Christmas. Her new friend Martini is happy to let Olive help him stay out of trouble, but hesitant to go out on a limb for her. The people she meets on her voyage to the North Pole range from apathetic to actively hostile. Yet the film doesn't become cynical; in contrast, it maintains an upbeat tone, with a smidgen of ironic acknowledgment of human nature.

Another aspect of Olive, the Other Reindeer that struck me as nicely done is how the film neatly sidesteps any religious aspects of the holiday. Santa Claus-like figures appear in a number of different folklores, not necessarily related at all to the Christian aspect of the holiday; he's a figure who stands for generosity and the spirit of goodwill and charity, which are cross-cultural virtues.

Have you ever noticed that just about every animated film has some musical numbers? So does Olive, the Other Reindeer... except that they're witty and slightly parodic of the typical sappy songs that get shoehorned into so many animated features. The two contemporary-style songs here are quite well done, and will certainly bring a laugh to viewers. Visually, Olive, the Other Reindeer is distinctive as well; it's a startling mix of 3D and 2D animation, with a definite slant toward the abstract.

In the end, Olive, the Other Reindeer pokes fun at the whole holiday hullabaloo, but it does so in a gentle and ultimately kind-hearted way. We all know that life isn't really so simple as it is in Olive's world, where ensuring that Santa delivers his presents is enough to bring happiness to all... but the cheerful ending nonetheless reminds us that happiness and goodwill are worth striving for, and that we can achieve more than we think, if we don't just give up. As far as messages for younger viewers go, that's a good one in my book.

The DVD

Video

The sparkling clean transfer of Olive, the Other Reindeer shows off the film's bright, minimalistic art to advantage. The solid blocks of color, which are quite unforgiving of any noise or compression artifacts, look completely clean and crisp, with the colors looking bright and natural throughout the film. I did notice a touch of pixellation around the edges of the characters on a couple of occasions, but this was a very minor quibble. All in all, the image looks excellent.

Olive, the Other Reindeer is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1.

Audio

The Dolby 2.0 soundtrack offers a very pleasing audio experience, with all the voices sounding completely clear and natural. The track is clean, and the music is balanced well with the rest of the soundtrack.

Extras

The main special feature is a 25-minute "making of" documentary, which offers an interesting look at the creation of the film. The other feature is "Olive, the Songs," which is simply a list of the five songs that enables viewers to jump to that point in the film.

Final thoughts

Olive, the Other Reindeer is likely to appeal much more to adults than to kids; that's not to say that younger viewers won't enjoy the story and laugh at the characters, but adults are more likely to appreciate its wit. With a visually appealing and creative style, and a large dollop of humor, Olive, the Other Reindeer makes for an entertaining viewing experience. It's recommended.