User Reviews

This is a really good family film that takes place around Christmas. To me, it's not really a Christmas movie, but more of a family film that could be watched around Christmas time. (If that makes any sense.) A musician named Jack Frost spends too much time with his music, than with his son and smokin' hot wife. He gives his son, Charlie a harmonica that he says is magic. When Jack has to leave on Christmas Eve, his son gets mad and gives him back the harmonica. Jack changes his mind and decides to go back. While driving, he has a terrible accident and dies. A year later, we see how Charlie and his smokin' hot mom deal with the pain. It's actually quite sad to think about having no dad at Christmas time. Charlie builds a snowman just for the heck of it, and later plays his dad's harmonica. Jack comes back, but in the body of the snowman. Throughout the film, Charlie and Jack have fun and get into misadventures. Until it gets hot, Charlie tries to save his dad from the heat, but Jack knows that he only came back to temporarily for a 2nd chance. If you love comedy, Christmas, and your family, including dad, you'll love JACK FROST!!!

There's probably too much back story used to give the exposition to the dramatic story of a bullied kid whose father dies and comes back as a snowman. Sounds fine, right? Well, I should mention that it takes half of the film's running time for this to happen, and when it does, it's rolling like a giant snowball flying down the slopes of a slippery mountain. Then, the fun begins and it never lets up.

I really didn't need much background to get the story going. Like similar fantasies like this, little background was needed other than a chance to see a live action Michael Keaton as opposed to the voice coming out of the moving mouth of the snowman. The fact that his real name is Jack Frost is his real name is a nice twist. Try to remain patient through the dull first half, and you will find yourself enjoying the funny and moving second half.

If I had to choice between watching the 1997's comedy horror movie 'Jack Frost' or seeing the 1998's family movie with the same name; I think, I would go see this movie. Only, because this movie has less, annoying things about it. Directed by Troy Miller, the movie tells the story of musician, Jack Frost (Michael Keaton) getting another chance of reconnecting with his son, Charlie (Joseph Cross) after death, when he comes back as a walking, talking snowman. While, Michael Keaton did a great job, acting as the rocker-dad, and voicing the snowman. It was the puppet from Jim Henson's Creature Shop that failed. Without spoiling the movie, too much; much of the reasons why this movie bomb at the office and cause Keaton to go into semi-retirement shortly afterwards it, was because how creepy, the snowman looked. It looks incredibly stiff and lifeless with a terrifying-looking face that moves in a jerky manner. It doesn't help that the puppet model was never made for Keaton's style of acting, as it was originally create for somebody else. Because of this, the puppeteers didn't have time to redesign their snowman animatronic from original actor, George Clooney's facial features to Keaton; and it really shows. The CGI model meanwhile, looks like something from a bygone era of computer effects. It really doesn't look, anywhere near realistic. You can really, tell the different between the real and the CGI snow, very clearly. Added to that mess, was the horrible pacing, cause by, way too many boring pointless rambling scenes with Jack and his cardboard wife, Gabby (Kelly Preston). While, the love affair, between them, seem real. It just needed to be sped up. Because of this, it takes 30 minutes until we, the audience get to see the snowman. Even the action scene were kinda slow. As much as I like the snow fight sequence and the following sled chase with the neighborhood bully, Rory Buck (Taylor Handley) it also really wasn't needed. The same goes with the hockey game with rockstar/punk artist, Henry Rollins as the coach. If anything, it just add more patting, in a movie, already full of patting. We needed more substance scenes. A good one, would had been; establishing the relationship, Charlie's mother had with MacArthur Michael (Mark Addy), than it seemly coming out of nowhere. Another problem of the film is the somewhat predictable plot. It's basically, 1969's TV Movie, 'Frosty the Snowman', with the melting parts. I wouldn't have a problem, if only it led something, but sadly, it doesn't. So, all of the work of the 3rd act by the characters to keep him, alive, seem to be time wasting. So, it was awful. Despite that, I did like how the movie risk, talking about death and loss. While, it wasn't as emotional as it should be, there were some heart-warming moments, throughout the film. The soundtrack by South African, 'Yes'-man, Trevor Rabin really does adds to that, putting out both new takes of the classics 'X-Mas' songs, as well, establishing their own brand of tunes. The music was very fantastic and somewhat touching at times. Another, great thing about this movie is the beautiful shots of the Rocky Mountains. All of the winter-full locations use in this movie, really add some grandeur. Great job from Hungarian cinematographer, László Kovács for pulling this off. It's just too bad that more thought and/or effort wasn't put into making the film, from the other departments. After all, this was a talking snowman movie. It could had been grand! Something similar to, 1982's 'the Snowman'. Now, that's a family friendly film built with a lot of heart to it! Instead, this PG movie felt like nothing really special. The humor was mostly juvenile, and flat, with most of the jokes, missing my funny bone. Honestly, if they went a little more tradition in the story, I think this movie would had work better. In the end, 'Jack Frost' starts off very promisingly, but turn out to be as fun as an icicle falling into your eyes. It will have a snowball's chance in the hell to ever reach, my best 'Christmas' movie list, but I can clearly say it's not as awful, as people make it, out to be.

I mean seriously why the 4.9 rating?? I found nothing wrong with this movie. It had a nice story and the cast was great,I always liked Micheal Keaton from his Batman days and I thought he did a terrific job in this movie. The story is about a work-ethic musician named Jack Frost who dies of a car crash one winters night. So his son Charlie plays the harmonic that he gave him and he is magically reincarnated as a snowman. YES A SNOWMAN hilarious right?? So Jack in his new form spends the Christmas with Charlie and they spend some father/son time together.

Yes its a bit stupid and silly in a way for having Micheal Keaton being reincarnated as a snowman and he should have been reincarnated as a human instead but still I loved the scenes that his son and himself spend together. John Travolta's wife Kelly Preston from The Last Song plays his wife who has had it with Jack and his band because he never spends the time with them. So why do I like this movie a lot. Well like I said the story was great and everything so why is it considered one of the most saddest movie of all time next to The Lion King and Marley & Me well you just have to watch the ending to find out. So grab those Kleenex Tissues and get your families together the next Christmas Season as you will be needing them.

Im giving this movie an 8/10 because well I liked it and I still like this movie up to this very day. I must have seen it 20 times or more and it still makes me cry at the age of 22.

Edited 2018

Jack Frost (1998): Dir: Troy Miller / Cast: Michael Keaton, Joseph Cross, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy, Henry Rollins: Depressing family film with a character given the title name. What kind of nit-pick bullshit is that? Could they not give him a name of more normal presentation? It just sounds like cruel parenting. The concept fails because the magic harmonica is never explained and just sounds like a dumb plot device. Instead it gets reduced to formula that becomes as much fun as a snow covered rock to the head. Michael Keaton plays Jack Frost, a musician who spends less time with his family. A nasty storm sends his car off the road and he is pronounced dead. His son plays the magic harmonica and the result is a talking snowman. We know that he will attempt to conceal him from his mother, and he will eventually melt giving an ending of all the quality of yellow snow. Director Troy Miller has fun with the visuals but that is pretty much all the film has going for it. Keaton is a likable comic actor but this is far beneath his talent. In flat supporting roles are Joseph Cross as his son. Kelly Preston is cardboard as his wife. Mark Addy has the thankless role as best friend who sticks around after the accident. One could say that he stuck around too long if he had any hint that this sh*t storm would be good. The snowman doesn't melt nearly as fast as the screenplay. Score: 2 / 10