User Reviews

Andy is a smart kid. His schemes keep getting him into trouble. Santa's Naughty List is real and Santa Claus (Danny Glover) puts Andy on it. He recruits 8 other naughty kids to do a heist on Santa's workshop.

It's a Disney Channel TV movie. I recognize one or two of these kids. I don't particularly like any of these characters. I do like the silly concept. At least, it's unique. The execution is another story. It's just so tween in filmmaking. Maybe you have to be that age to like this. There may also be too many kids. Fewer kids would allow each to stand out. In the end, I don't care about all these kids or their scheme by extension.

The Naughty Nine is an enjoyable holiday romp rittled with plot holes, which is somehow held together care of a few strong performances by the child actors playing the title characters. Beware if you have mischievous, thrill-seeking children... This movie offers plenty of inspiration. Some potential fun is sacrificed in service to a plot and pace that feels weighed down by the sheer amount of ground it purports to cover (and the number of characters sharing significant screen time). This reviewer may have dozed off in the latter half but I recall only one of the "Naughty" getting a satisfying redemptive arc, which, again, is a result of a story bogged down by the overall concept. There are fun moments and ideas a-plenty but leaks spring from the plot holes hastily covered with a thin veneer of sugary, peppermint glaze. Some solid performances left this viewer pining for a more concise holiday jaunt, but the 8 year old viewer next to us squealed in delight when the sequel was teased, so Naughty Nine certainly struck a few notes just right. 5.7/10.

Staring the obvious: Home Alone meets Oceans Eleven. Some characters are frustrating cliches (I sincerely cannot handle Jon Anthony) and adults serve merely as plot-furthering side characters, but it's tolerable. If I'm subjected to more watches of it, however, it might wear me down as I have low tolerance for the genre of Precocious Kids Who Manipulate and Outsmart Oblivious Adults genre. As another reviewer mentioned, they try to cram as much individual character development as possible, but that comes at the expense of getting in depth enough for most of them. Also, let's just address the fact that the pilot is clearly to be a Chris Pratt type - I swear this guy must be his body double. I wish it had a touch more edge but I'm not the target audience. Grab some (potent) 'nog and you'll be OK.

A group of kids who feel they where unfairly put on the naughty list by Santa Claus (Danny Glover), decide to pull off a plan to go to the north poll and rob Santa's workshop of the toys they didn't get for Christmas.

This film is not great but amusing, a fun film to enjoy for the holiday season, never really tries to anything more. The kids are great, and all seem to play off each other very well, scenes in the north poll are also well shot, feeling like your there. The suspension of disbelief can be stretched pretty high like Home Alone (1990) although not quite on the same level, but amusing for everybody.

The Naughty Nine is a holiday romp that blends the whimsy of a Christmas caper with the cheeky charm of a middle school heist. The plot, while not exactly groundbreaking, delivers enough laughs and light-hearted mischief to keep things engaging. Andy Steele and Dulce Gutierrez are the quintessential naughty-but-nice kids, leading a motley crew of misfits on a quest to the North Pole that's as absurd as it is amusing. The ensemble, each with their own brand of 'naughtiness,' brings a diverse array of humor and hijinks, making their interactions a highlight of the film.

Where the film trips up is in its attempt to juggle too many subplots. Jon Anthony's fashion faux pas and the late-game moral lesson from Santa feel shoehorned in, diluting the central theme of childhood rebellion. The film shines in its playful antics and the chemistry between the young cast, but struggles to maintain a consistent tone, wavering between slapstick comedy and heartfelt moments.

The visual effects and North Pole setting are adequately realized, though they don't push any new boundaries. It's the performances of the young actors that truly carry the film, particularly the dynamic between Winslow Fegley and Madilyn Kellam. Their sibling rivalry, peppered with moments of unexpected teamwork, adds a layer of depth to an otherwise straightforward narrative.

In conclusion, The Naughty Nine is a decent holiday movie that offers enough entertainment for a family movie night. It doesn't reinvent the sleigh, but it doesn't need to. Its charm lies in its simplicity and the spirited performances of its young cast. It's the cinematic equivalent of a stocking stuffer - not the main present, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

This movie was a fun take on heist movies but for kids. My family enjoyed it a lot. The execution is similar to any other Friday night family flick, but that was what made it so charming.

This really took me back to the days of weekend made for TV movies of my childhood. Parents may get a bit bored, but your kids will love it.

If I had any complaint it would be to reduce the number of kids and give them each a bit more screen time. Some were a bit one mote, but again this is a kids movie that with a made for TV feel.

If you're looking for a fun movie that your kids will enjoy, this is a great pick for the holidays. We had a blast.

This is a Disney Christmas heist movie with the title being The Naughty Nine (2023), which has an interesting idea for a Christmas heist movie involving naughty kids breaking into Santa's workshop to take the toys/gifts they deserve. The movie The Naughty Nine (2023) is an entertaining enough little movie that has an interesting premise, good enough performances, and nice enough visuals to give the Christmas feeling to it; there are over the top moments, and there are moments in the movie that was unbelievable, but it also has an ending that went by quickly by getting things resolved in time to fit the one hour and twenty-three minute long runtime.

The performances from the main characters are entertaining enough to follow, and the main character who leads The Naughty Nine named Andy, along with his friend, do scams or heists in a way at school to take things back that also involves lying to people; that is how he gets on the naughty list, which makes sense, and he has the skills in planning out a heist to get into Santa's workshop. The rest of the members of The Naughty Nine have certain skills that Andy needs to break into the place, and there is a character who knows where Santa's village and workshop is found, and I thought it was unbelievable that a kid like him could do something like that. Also, Andy's sister, who is on the nice list, is brought in for a role in their plan, even though she is always trying to prove to their parents that Andy is lying and producing a plan without them knowing, but Andy lies his way out of it.

The look of the North Pole Forest and Santa's village looked like sets, but they also looked like miniatures when the characters are walking around because the trees and buildings looked like they were miniature made to look bigger; also, you have Danny Glover as Santa Claus who appears near the end of the third act, but he is not bad in this. The movie does have a Christmas feel to it, along with the sets being well put together and Santa's workshop looking and feeling big in scale in a way; the movie has entertaining moments with occasional funny moments that are not that bad.

There is not much to expect from this, other than that it is an entertaining enough Christmas heist from Disney, and kids will like it fine, with it also not being something rush and watch on Disney+. The movie The Naughty Nine (2023) is harmless and entertaining enough for a kid friendly Christmas heist movie, because it also has known tropes from heist movies like Ocean's Eleven (2001), which are done well despite seeing them before. Not a bad movie, but you will be entertained enough if you just watch the movie once.

I'll be honest, at first I thought it was gonna be a stupid movie just by judging the concept for this. After watching this, it kinda is, but turned out okay. The Naughty Nine is a mixed heist where some may have gone well, while others that have been blown. It may have a generic story, stale jokes and some of the characters being bland. But there are some of the things that surprised me such as good acting, creative set ups for the North Pole, and the heart of the film that connects well. I won't say that it's a must watch, but if you're looking for a Christmas movie from Disney Channel, this might be something during Christmas time. But maybe at least once to see what you think of the movie more than the stupid concept of a naughty list heist. It may not be the best heist I've seen, but like the Naughty Nine themselves, at least it's to change a little bit of Disney Channel's colors for Christmas movies.

The Naughty Nine is a family movie that is underrated for its underrated sub-genre of children's Christmas movies. The film follows nine children, Andy, Dulce, Andy, and Dulce, who set out to steal their toys from Santa after being denied gifts for being naughty. The film begins as a traditional trope of misfits and hijinks but quickly transforms into an action-packed film as they work together to prove their worth. However, things get complicated as they get over their heads and everything starts to go wrong. The film explores the traits of each character, highlighting why they are on the naughty list. Some characters are silly, like Albert, while others are intense, like Jon Anthony. However, the main issue is not their naughtiness, but their false beliefs about themselves that led to poor decision-making. For Dulce, it's the belief that her parents don't care, for Laurel, it's a lack of self-belief, for Jon Anthony, it's a belief that they're fraud, and for Andy, it's the belief that he can't be good. The film's Christmas atmosphere and themes are relatable, making the audience feel glad they pressed play. Director Alberto Belli and screenwriters Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas effectively weave important topics into the movie without making them too "on the nose." The Naughty Nine is a family movie that teaches valuable lessons about having a good conscience, maintaining strong friendships, believing in others, and the importance of family. It is not just for children, but everyone should see it. The movie ends with Santa, played by Danny Glover, reminding us that we have a chance to make things right and redeem ourselves. The movie is perfect for those who enjoyed other holiday films like Santa Hunters, The Ultimate Christmas Present, and Unaccompanied Minors. The Naughty Nine is a light-hearted comedic film that reminds us that the most important thing to do each day isn't being naughty, but being nice. It's a must-see for everyone, especially those who enjoyed other holiday films like Santa Hunters, The Ultimate Christmas Present, and Unaccompanied Minors. The Naughty Nine TV movie features beautiful production values, with a magical North Pole feel. Digital set extensions, volumetric sets, and computer-animated characters, including reindeer, create a convincing version of Santa's village. The designers add timeless touches, anchored by Danny Glover's portrayal of Santa Claus. The story revolves around naughty kids trying to steal Christmas, with Santa's role as subtle parenting, guiding kids to do the right thing on their own. The Naughty Nine is a Disney story about morality and rightdoing, with the title indicating any wrongdoings. The kids, each with their unique talents, discover how to use their strengths to achieve their dreams, demonstrating the power of teamwork and making dreams a reality.

Let me begin with the positives first because there aren't too many. The sets in this movie are probably the best I've ever seen for a Christmas film, which is unfortunate because the rest of this movie is complete garbage. Not only does this movie teach kids to be naughty, but it also represents everything that Christmas shouldn't be. And Danny Glover as Santa? Really? Not that I'm opposed to it, but why him? He comes across as judgmental and unforgiving, contradicting everything Santa is known for. I simply don't understand why this movie spends almost its entire runtime teaching children to misbehave, steal, and lie, and then, in the last 5 minutes, Danny Glover appears at the very end, telling the naughty kids that he needs their help, with no explanation whatsoever. Sure, the naughty kids might learn their lesson to some extent, but to have an entire movie completely undermine the essence of Christmas and the importance of being good? I don't think this movie sends kids the right messages at all. But as I said, the set design in this movie is the best I've ever seen, and that's the only good thing about it. It seems like Disney wanted to create a naughty Christmas movie to teach kids that it's okay to misbehave.

I felt the joy of Christmas spirit in this movie. It represents kids as mischievous rebels. Keeping the story line very real and true to how kids are nowadays. I enjoyed that it showed them making mistakes and being able to fix it at the end. It keeps the story line very natural and doesn't follow the same upbeat characters Disney usually has. I was eager to watch this film for Danny Glover since I grew up watching a lot of the things he has acted in but (UNFORTUNATELY) it's time for him to move on. If theres a part 2 id enjoy seeing more of HaYoons and Alberts character. Overall The Naughty Nine was a great movie I will be watching again.

What would happen if the guys from Oceans Eleven were actually 11 years old, and on the naughty list? It might result in something like this Disney+ offering, which was certainly watchable for me and my first grader. Kids who don't get gifts from Santa decide to bust into Santa's village in the North Pole and get the gifts they didn't receive. Forget that they didn't get them because they are on the Naughty List. Kudos to the schools being named McAllister (Home Alone) and Griswold (Christmas Vacation). Side note of reality - if these tikes are so darn clever, it seems as though there may be less difficult ways to get the gifts they are missing. The gifts are the Macguffin of the film, which in the end isn't the most critical thing. The tease a sequel near the end - looking forward to it.

The acting is amateurish, the script is laughable and the entire premise is stupid. Disney just makes movies to push something out. There's no thought, planning or feeling in the story or in the characters. You care about none of them, least of all santa. Every time he talks I expect Riggs to pop out of the background with some crazy idea for getting the bad guys. Theees no love, no heart and worst of all no logic or common sense. It's a terrible waste of time and money to have even been made. The story just drags on and on and on, not unlike every Ben Affleck disaster of late. Trust me, skip it. Skip it hard.

IN A NUTSHELL: When a young boy finds out he's on Santa's "Naughty" list, he puts together a group of other naughty kids with specific talents for a heist in order to steal their presents from Santa's workshop in the North Pole.

The family-friendly film was directed by Alberto Belli. Writing credits go to Jen Elinoff and Scott Thomas.

THINGS I LIKED: Winslow Fegley is adorable and very talented. He has a bright future in Hollywood. He was also adorable in Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. If you haven't seen that family-friendly movie, check it out! I thought it was super cute!

The rest of the cute cast includes Deric McCabe, Madilyn Kellam, Clara Stack, Camila Rodriguez, Ayden Elijah, Anthony Joo, and Imogen Cohen.

The characters are well-designed and different from one another. They each have unique skills and get their unique learning moment in the movie.

Fantastic sets, especially at the North Pole.

It has all of the adventure and action that kids would want in a movie like this.

Great costume design by Julia Caston.

One of the characters has a really cool tent in his bedroom. You have to look fast! I feel bad for the crew that probably spent a lot of time building it because you only see it on screen for a split second but my sons would have absolutely loved having something like that in their bedrooms.

Anthony Joo's character lives in a beautiful house. Did you see the façade?

We get to see the incredible Aurora Borealis in the sky. I got to see it when I traveled to Iceland a couple of years ago! Amazing.

Ayden Elijah can do those adorable big eyes like Puss in Boots.

Some Latinos sing a traditional Christmas song for everyone. I sang that song when I was an exchange student in Mexico!

Danny Glover as Santa.

I love it movies reference other movies. For example, the two schools in the movie area named McAllister Elementary from Home Alone in 1990 and Griswold Middle School from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in 1989.

Yep, the movie leaves a very wide-open door for a sequel. I'm up for it!

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: There are some bad acting moments.

Don't get annoyed by all of the plot holes; it's a kid's movie.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Bullying We see a lot of rude, entitled kids do really mean things We hear kids lie a lot One of the kids has gay dads Kids try to convince a good girl that it's dumb to follow rules.

A little boy swears.

Fart sounds Stealing.

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I wanted to watch something light, funny, and Christmasy during the holidays, but I could not watch more than 15-20 minutes. I do not know how they manage it, but it is patronizing both sides (adults and kids) at the same time. How is that even possible? Kids are not stupid. Adults are not naive.

I cannot figure out how the same studio that created movies like Coco, Walle, and Moana could create something like this too.

Quantity is definitely not worth less quality. Do they realize they are leaving a legacy? You are showing the kids how adults - the world see them. I thought we passed the time when Cheetah girls were created.

Fun heist movie for the family. It was fun and definitely focused more on the kids in the film. No real chatter depth for the grown-ups in the film because it's told from the perspective of the kids.

All in all fun for my kids and I. It's a bit absurd at points because it's fun! It's very clearly more of a kids movie but one that was fun for the adults. It has low-stakes intrigue and suspense (meaning no real danger) but plenty of heist-movie shenanigans.

The cast of characters of the naughty nine are cool and demonstrate some good growth of believe in themselves, use your powers for good, or that your family really does know when you are gone overnight. Good family fun with a good message at the end without it being heavy-handed.

The Naughty Nine is definitely a movie targeted to the younger generation. The kids actually LOVED the entire movie and I'm sure if they be the ones reviewing, it would be a 5/5. For myself, it had its disturbing moments, but I have to say it wasn't too bad. I've seen a lot of peoples reviews on it and understand the frustration. I don't believe a child should be calling a grown man a (hottie) Disney could have did without that part and shouldn't have allowed that child to wear makeup at all. The overall character description of Jon Anthony was fine with me but those 2 things should have been taken out. For the sensitive people upset about the (Dad's) get over it. They merely did anything at all and were more so fill ins for family background. The girls enjoyed Hayoon the most and the boys enjoyed Albert. Both were great in my opinion, and they did a number in their acting. A lot of the manipulated imagery was masterfully put together. I'd imagine that's what Santa's village truly looks like. There was a sense of nostalgia at the village. Connected with it well as it looked like well-known past Christmas movies. The editor could have spent a little more time on the actors expressions. That would have helped a lot with the extension of scenes and give us viewers a connection to how some of the actors felt during certain moments. I felt like it was very rushed and quick to skip to the next scene. The diversity in elves and cultures was very fulfilling to see but even trying to get to spot everything was rushed. I'd appreciate being able to enjoy the time. The inclusion of the boy elf with down syndrome was such a special touch and also a big reason I enjoyed this movie. Danny Glover in the teaser was what had me eager to watch this film but he did not meet my expectations. His words and actions seemed very slowed and he looked like he was forced to be on the movie. Considering there is a sequel I'd enjoy for the movie to spend time getting to know some of the kids backgrounds. Understandably I know it isn't possible to get all of their story lines but I personally connect to movies based off the family connections. Maybe spend more time with the most impressionable characters like Albert and Hayoon. Honestly Albert is the naughty in all of us adults so I'd really enjoy seeing him more. Something has to give with Glover as Santa or a lead up to someone else taking over cause I cannot bare watching him I'd feel part of the problem, let him rest. My kids enjoyed this movie at the end of the day and for that I enjoyed it also. It has been ongoing in my household so hopefully Disney hits the target with the sequel. I'm rooting for the comeback so please don't disappoint!

This movie was beautifully written and executed! It reminds me of my childhood shenanigans and there are no plot holes in the story line. All The characters were so cute and relatable! The elf scene especially was the cutest and most realistic, I think. And it is super representative of all backgrounds! You would do yourself a huge disservice if you don't watch this lovely movie this holiday season! The acting was amazing by each and every young person in that movie. My favorite character was Dulce! She was very relatable and her role was integral to the entire storyline. Please got watch this movie!! I love it!!

This movie was an unexpected joy. My partner and I watched it and absolutely loved it. It was different than your average Christmas film. A lot less unexpected, with fresh takes and new storylines. It was visually pleasing, and it was really funny. The cast was perfect in every role. They all hit their marks and delivered consistent performances. It was so important and lovely to see so much inclusion and diversity. They did a beautiful job of incorporating folks from many different walks of life coming together. We are waiting for a sequel so we can see what else the Naughty Nine get up to! Would recommend this film for people of any age wanting to watch a cute and fun holiday film!

Very enjoyable especially for family movie night. Great acting by the kids and cute concept. Definitely the christmas kiddy version of oceans 11 but no issues there. Well paced. Not laugh out loud humour but again not really something that's necessary.

Not really for adults but clearly not the intended target audience. Loved that I'd never seen any of the child actors before- fresh new cast helped us to get into the story more.

Overall great for family movie night with enjoyable plot and direction. Would recommend fore sure. Also helps justify the importance of staying off the naughty list for the Santa believers of the family ;)

I watched this movie thinking that it would be okay, but definitely not great. The opening sequence was kind of weird, but enjoyable to watch.

I seriously couldn't believe what a talented con artist Andy was.

I honestly can't even tell which characters I liked and which I thought were annoying, but wow... For Disney Channel, this movie was actually awesome!

I thought that the costumes were pretty good, and I really liked the plotline.

I didn't really enjoy how the characters were obnoxious at first, but luckily Disney Channel didn't make them snobby throughout the whole movie and gave the characters actual development.

Thank you for reading my review.