“Operation Christmas Drop” Review
It’s now November, so naturally, Netflix has begun releasing its original Christmas movies for the season.
On Nov. 5, Netflix released “Operation Christmas Drop”: a movie about celebrating the holiday away from home and spreading more than just holiday cheer to those in need.
This movie was directed by Martin Wood and produced by Brad Krevoy. The plot is inspired by the real U.S. Air Force Operation Christmas Drop, which is a special type of defense training that started in 1952.
The pilots practice dropping things from their aircrafts by dropping crates of resources to the people living on secluded islands in the Pacific Ocean around the holiday season.
“Operation Christmas Drop” is a heartwarming romantic comedy, but the movie falls short of being a memorable Christmas classic due to its cliché storyline.
The movie stars Kat Graham, most known for her role as Bonnie in the TV series “The Vampire Diaries,” and Alexander Ludwig, who played Cato in the movie “The Hunger Games.”
Both actors played their parts well. Ludwig embodied his character Andrew’s charisma and kind spirit, while Graham stepped right into her character Erica’s headstrong personality and sarcastic sense of humor.
The movie follows Erica, a hard-working assistant to a congresswoman in D.C., as she travels to the Air Base in Guam to write a detailed report about the base’s inefficiencies during the Christmas season. There, she meets Andrew, the charming pilot whose main focus is running Operation Christmas Drop.
Just like most romantic comedies, the pair gets off on the wrong foot with their duties pitted against each other, but as the plot unravels, their true feelings develop.
The best theme that this movie emphasizes is the true meaning of Christmas.
Erica is sent to basically shut down the Christmas Drop, but she feels conflicted once she realizes how the project changes so many lives. Anyone who watches this movie will be reminded that the holidays are a time of giving and selflessness.
In comparison to the many other holiday Netflix originals, “The Christmas Drop” is very middle-of-the-pack. The humanitarian aspect of the movie is heartwarming, but neither the romance nor comedy are spectacular.
The dialogue is filled with overly sarcastic humor, which can sometimes be funny, but the movie is rated G and very family-friendly, so the dry humor just falls flat and seems too juvenile.
The ending of the movie is very predictable, and even though there is significant character development for Erica, her change is expected and cliché.
What sets this movie apart from the average Hallmark Christmas movie is the believable acting and the fun location.
After a long summer spent in quarantine, it’s appropriate for this year’s holiday specials to bring back the tropical setting everyone missed. The uniquely beachy setting of “Operation Christmas Drop” makes the movie a little more noteworthy.
This lighthearted movie may resonate with those who can’t spend the holidays with their loved ones and those who are passionate about giving back to their communities.
Although the movie is not outstanding, there is always room for one more Christmas movie on people’s Netflix lists.
Rating: 2/5
Courtney Benedetto is a freshman majoring in print/digital journalism. To contact her, email at cmb7747@psu.edu.
