Ava accepts the opportunity of a lifetime to work at the Royal Ice Hotel which leads her to a surprise whirlwind romance with the most important guest of all, the Royal Prince himself.
Starring: Katie Cassidy and Stephen Huszar
Image: Hallmark Media
A Royal Christmas Crush Premieres During Hallmark's 2023 Christmas in July Event
When Hallmark premieres dozens of new Christmas movies in the fourth quarter faster than Mrs. Santa cranks out sugar cookies, you expect a handful of duds. Hallmark's business model is quantity over quality.
Hallmark fans eagerly await Christmas in July. They adjust the air conditioner to chill the house, snuggle under a fuzzy blanket, sip hot chocolate, and get swept away with the magic of Christmas, even during the hottest month of the year.
As a special treat, Hallmark premieres one or more Christmas movies each July to add a delightful twinkle to summer--and not the blinking kind from all the lightening bugs in your backyard.
A lot of buzz surrounded the launch of A Royal Christmas Crush, and since it was only one of two new movies for the Christmas in July season, fans had high expectations.
Unfortunately, A Royal Christmas Crush did not live up to the media hype.
A Royal Christmas Crush Is Too Generic
Not even a unique, fancy ice hotel could save this movie. The Hotel de Glace in Quebec is the same ice castle where Baby It's Cold Inside (2021) and Winter Castle (2019) were filmed, so nothing new to see here.
Some Hallmark fans are disenchanted by royal movies while others never tire of the classic fairytale story structure.
A Royal Christmas Crush uses the same, worn-out formula. Prince Henry is feeling pressured to marry, but he wants to fall in love organically, not through the matchmaking chicanery from his meddling family and staff.
The winter castle provides a holiday escape for the royal family where they can relax and enjoy a break from their duties and decorum.
Prince Henry struggles to write his annual address to his Nordic nation of Friørland. Ava inspires him (not sure how--she just sits around sketching), and the speech ends up being his best yet.
Yawn. It's the same royal plot with new characters and scenery.
The only difference is an added antagonist, Brigitta, who is determined her daughter will marry the Prince, and she'll do whatever it takes to keep Ava away from him.
A Royal Christmas Crush Has No Holiday Vibes
The set for A Royal Christmas Crush is illuminated with so many pinks and blues that it looks more like Elsa's ice castle from Frozen than a Hallmark Christmas backdrop. It would have been better as a winter movie for the New Year, New Movies season.
Image: Hallmark Media
Despite the snowy landscape, a sleigh ride, the Christmas Eve ball, and Ava's red dress, the movie doesn't drum up enough Christmas spirit to make Santa's sleigh fly.
A Royal Christmas Crush Is Riddled with Flaws
Katie Cassidy lacks onscreen warmth, which isn't surprising since she gained cinematic attention from being a scream queen in horror movies--not exactly the Lacey Chabert saccharine charm we've come to expect. Cassidy is icier than the castle her character is designing, which makes it all the more astonishing that she captured Stephen Huszar's heart in real life.
Speaking of Huszar, have you ever heard a faker accent? It would have been better had he spoken in his natural accent than trying to use one that makes him sound like he's from Planet Weird. No wonder the country he governs is fictional--no one talks like that anywhere in the known world.
Why do Prince Henry's parents look his same age? Is this the casting director's first day on the job?
How about the scene where Ava suggests they get into a hot tub, even though she has no bathing suit. Doesn't everyone jump into the hot tub fully clothed?
Image: Hallmark Media
It's common for Hallmark to redeem the "bad guy" by the end of every movie, but Brigitta's sudden change of heart simply isn't believable. It's too forced. Brigitta is set on her daughter marrying Prince Henry and tries to keep Ava busy designing shelters for the royal pooches. She and Von Trier conspire to paint Ava as a fraudster based on her association with her felonious ex-fiancée. They are giddy that their plan is working, only to abruptly fall in love with each other and be delighted that Henry and Ava wind up together after all. What?
Ava leaves the airport on her flight back to America. Moments later, she appears at the royal Christmas Eve ball as if she stepped out of a storybook. How does this happen? She simply tells the pilot she wants to return to Friørland, and he turns the plane around. That's a common occurrence, right? Now you know--if you're ever flying the friendly skies and change your mind on your destination, just ask the pilot to turn around!
Hallmark Inserts Woke Activism AGAIN
Under the watch of CEO
Woke Wonya Lucas, Hallmark laces many of their new movies with political talking points.
A Royal Christmas Crush combines left-wing environmental worship with Socialist housing entitlements to promote activism no one should want to see in a movie meant to entertain.
Ava's passion project is to create sustainable housing communities. She drafts mock-ups of mini domed dwellings constructed from recycled materials that could house low-income families. How about vote for leaders whose policies don't decimate communities? Ava says her plans could help after natural disasters, which is true, but Friørland partners with her to construct just such a community. They must have streets in Friørland that look like San Francisco.
This mini-igloo on set looks similar to the sustainable housing units Ava wants to build. Who wouldn't want to live in something the size of a doghouse? Image: Hallmark Media
Is A Royal Christmas Crush Worth Watching?
A Royal Christmas Crush has nothing new to offer, but it can still hold your attention the first time. It's worth watching once, but once will be enough.
I agree with this assessment of the movie.
ReplyDeleteI agree, most definitely! She felt cold, and the couple had no chemistry!
ReplyDeleteNot the best in the list of Christmas in July movies. She was just boring
ReplyDeleteCould not watch longer than 15 minutes. Unappealing and terrible acting.
ReplyDelete