The Flight Before Christmas (2008 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Flight Before Christmas |
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| Directed by | Michael Hegner Kari Juusonen |
| Produced by | Hannu Tuomainen Petteri Pasanen |
| Written by | Mark Hodkinson Marteinn Thorisson Hannu Tuomainen |
| Starring | Olli Jantunen Hannu-Pekka Björkman Vuokko Hovatta Vesa Vierikko Jussi Lampi Risto Kaskilahti |
| Music by | Stephen Mckeon |
| Studio | Anima Vitae A. Film A/S Pictorion Magma Animation Magma Films |
| Distributed by | Telepool (Munich) The Weinstein Company (US) |
| Release date(s) | 1 November 2008 |
| Running time | 80 minutes 45 minutes (TV Version) |
| Country | Finland Denmark Germany Ireland |
| Language | Finnish |
| Budget | €6,100,000 |
| Money made | $21,822,495 |
The Flight Before Christmas is a fun computer-animated Christmas movie from 2008. It's also known as Niko – Lentäjän poika in Finnish, or Niko & The Way to the Stars. The film was directed by Michael Hegner and Kari Juusonen.
This movie tells the story of a young reindeer named Niko. He dreams of joining Santa Claus's special team of flying reindeer. But there's a big problem: Niko is afraid of heights and can't fly! He must overcome his fear to help Santa and his flying reindeer. A group of wolves is threatening them, and Niko is their only hope. This movie was made by companies in Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Ireland. It's one of the most expensive Finnish films ever made.
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Niko's Big Dream
Niko is a young reindeer who lives with his mom, Oona. She tells him that his dad is one of Santa's "Flying Forces," the amazing reindeer who pull Santa's sleigh. Niko has always dreamed of flying like his dad. He wants to join the Flying Forces too.
But Niko has a secret fear: he's scared of heights. He tries to learn to fly with his friend Julius, a flying squirrel. The other young reindeer tease Niko because he can't fly. To avoid them, Niko and his friend Saga leave their safe valley. Niko hopes to practice flying without anyone watching.
A Dangerous Journey
While practicing, Niko and Saga are spotted by a pack of wolves. They run back to their herd in a panic. But they accidentally lead the wolves right to their home! The herd tries to escape. Saga's dad, who leads the herd, fights a wolf and gets hurt.
Later, Niko hears the other reindeer talking about how his actions put everyone in danger. Feeling bad, Niko decides to leave the herd. He wants to find his father and Santa's secret home, called Santa's Fell.
When Niko goes missing, Julius the flying squirrel decides to look for him. He can search without leaving tracks in the fresh snow. Julius finds Niko but can't convince him to go back home. So, Julius joins Niko on his search for Santa's secret location.
New Friends and Big Trouble
Meanwhile, a lost pet poodle named Essie finds the wolf pack. The leader, Black Wolf, is about to eat her. But Essie gives him an idea: what if they attack Santa's reindeer? Black Wolf likes this idea and spares Essie. She becomes his "good luck charm" and has to join the pack.
Niko and Julius soon find Wilma, a weasel, stuck in a tree branch. They rescue her. Wilma feels like she owes them, so she reluctantly joins their adventure. Later, Niko and Julius get separated in a sudden snowstorm. Niko wakes up under a pile of snow, hidden from the nearby wolf pack. He overhears Black Wolf saying he wants to defeat Santa and take his place. Black Wolf even says he wants to eat children!
Facing the Wolves
When Niko is discovered, he runs away and finds Julius. But the two friends get trapped between tall rock cliffs. Wilma saves them by singing loudly, which causes an avalanche! She then guides Niko and Julius to safety. Wilma knows the way to Santa's home because she used to work there as a singer.
Niko tries to cross a dangerous river by flying with Wilma's help. But he looks down, gets scared, and falls. The wolves think they are gone and head straight for Santa's home. At the same time, Julius and Wilma save Niko from falling over a huge waterfall.
While Niko rests, Julius tells him that his own family was taken by wolves. He says he now sees Niko like a son.
The Big Rescue
When they finally arrive at Santa's place, Niko almost gets hit by the Flying Forces on the runway. Niko tells them about Black Wolf's plan. But the flying reindeer don't believe a wolf could find Santa's secret valley.
Later, as they celebrate before Christmas Eve, Wilma sings a song asking who Niko's father is. None of the reindeer answer. They decide to do a "flying test" to see if Niko has the special genes to fly. This would prove if his story is true. Julius realizes Niko is in danger during the test. He yells at Niko while he's flying, causing Niko to fall again. Luckily, Dasher saves him.
After this, the wolves find their way into the valley! The scared reindeer lose their power to fly. Black Wolf chases Niko and corners him up a tall tree.
Meanwhile, the other reindeer are trapped by the wolves on the runway. Julius convinces them that they can fly! This gives them the courage to save Niko using Santa's sleigh. Black Wolf grabs onto the sleigh, but Julius makes him lose his grip. To save Julius from falling, Niko jumps off the sleigh. He suddenly realizes he can finally fly! He successfully saves Julius as Black Wolf falls.
Niko, with the Flying Forces behind him, scares the other wolves away. Prancer, one of the Flying Forces, congratulates Niko on his bravery. He then reveals that he is Niko's father! Afterward, Niko meets Santa, who invites him to join the Flying Forces. But Niko decides to stay with his mom and Julius for now. He plans to visit Prancer often. Niko and Julius then lead the herd to a new, safe valley.
Music from the Movie
The music for the film was created by Stephen McKeon. Here are some of the songs:
- Happy Christmas! – Sung by Vuokko Hovatta
- Flying Forces Rock – Written by Stephen McKeon
- The Way to the Stars – Written by Stephen McKeon, sung by Sean Dexter
What Happens Next?
A sequel to the movie, called Little Brother, Big Trouble: A Christmas Adventure, came out in Finland on October 12, 2012. In this next adventure, Niko's mom gets remarried, and Niko gets a stepbrother named Jonni. When eagles kidnap Jonni, Niko flies off to rescue him. He gets help from an old, nearly blind reindeer named Tobias, who used to lead the Flying Forces. But Niko also has to face White Wolf, who is Black Wolf's sister. She leads the eagles and wants revenge on Niko for what happened to her brother.
