The defence The Popcorn Loyalist
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
Back to trending 
The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday
Animation · Comedy · Family · 2023
To keep their annual Holiday Heist-tacular afloat, Mr. Wolf and his crew of animal outlaws will have to restore the whole city's Christmas spirit — fast!
Movie details
The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday
2023 Animation · Comedy · Family 26m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
To keep their annual Holiday Heist-tacular afloat, Mr. Wolf and his crew of animal outlaws will have to restore the whole city's Christmas spirit — fast!
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday?
For the defence
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Merry Little Batman
Animation · 2023
This Christmas, Damian Wayne wants to be a superhero like his dad – the one and only Batman. When Damian is left home alone while Batman takes on Gotham’s worst supervillains on Christmas Eve, he stumbles upon a villainous plot to steal Christmas and leaps at the chance to save the day.
The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two
Family · 2020
Kate Pierce is reluctantly spending Christmas with her mom’s new boyfriend and his son Jack. But when the North Pole and Christmas are threatened to be destroyed, Kate and Jack are unexpectedly pulled into a new adventure with Santa Claus.
Shrek the Halls
Adventure · 2007
The Christmas tree isn't the only thing green in this new holiday classic. Shrek is back and trying to get into the spirit of the season. After promising Fiona and the kids a Christmas they'll remember, he is forced to take a crash course in the holiday. But just when he thinks he has everything for their quiet family Christmas just right, there is a knock at the door.
A Christmas Story Christmas
Comedy · 2022
Follows Ralphie, now adult, who returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his Old Man.
It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown
Animation · 1992
As the holiday season rolls around and all the Peanuts gang are getting ready for it. Whether it be Charlie Brown struggling to raise money for his girlfriend or Sally and Peppermint Patty struggling to rehearse and memorize their one word lines for the Christmas pageant, these kids try to keep with the Christmas spirit while Snoopy has his mischief to do.
Recess: All Growed Down
Family · 2003
T.J. and The Recess Gang are kidnapped by the Third Street School's kindergartners, who are in turn being bullied by a new kid in their class.
Candy Cane Lane
Comedy · 2023
A man, determined to win the neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest, makes a pact with an elf to help him win. However, the elf casts a spell bringing the twelve days of Christmas to life, bringing chaos to the small, unsuspecting town.
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure
Family · 2011
A Christmas elf accidentally takes off in Santa's sleigh, crash lands in a small town, and loses the magic toy bag. Beethoven must rescue the elf, recover the bag from greedy crooks, and return the sleigh to Santa in time to save Christmas.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever
Animation · 2023
A hilarious and heartfelt holiday tale centered around everyone's favorite disaster-prone middle school student, Greg Heffley, which finds him desperately fighting to stay off Santa's naughty list as the family prepares for a major winter snowstorm.
Once Upon a Deadpool
Action · 2018
A kidnapped Fred Savage is forced to endure Deadpool's PG-13 rendition of Deadpool 2, as a Princess Bride-esque story full of magic, wonder, and zero Fs.
Where it lives
Watch in your region.
Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Bret Haaland
Written by
Katherine Nolfi
Michael Godere
Wolf (voice)
Ezekiel Ajeigbe
Shark (voice)
Raul Ceballos
Piranha (voice)
Chris Diamantopoulos
Snake (voice)
Mallory Low
Tarantula (voice)
Zehra Fazal
Tiffany Fluffit (voice)
Keith Silverstein
Gary / Shaved Ice Vendor (voice)
Court is in session
Put The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.