Nativity Collection

Comedy

Family

Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!

Mirrorball Films

Premiere Picture

Moviehouse Entertainment

Media Pro Six

UK Film Council

Entertainment One

United Kingdom

English

David Tennant

Marc Wootton

Pam Ferris

Jessica Hynes

Joanna Page

Jason Watkins

Ian McNeice

Ben Wilby

Brandon McDonald

Rosie Cavaliero

Pixie Davies

George Potts

Claire Vousden

Amanda Lawrence

Adrianna Bertola

Scott Folan

Eleanor Grant

John Dalziel

Sally Hill

Neil Parkinson

Sarah Pelling

Shannon Maguire

Lloyd Ellis Cornish

Daisy Donohoe

David Prince

Georgina Feller

Libby Feller

Libby Wilson

Lucie Croke

Lydia Taylor

Sophie Aird

Sophie Bird

Sophie Malone

Zoe Davidson

Caitlin Cronin

Dominic McKernan

Ellie Coldicutt

Faye Dolan

Jesse Donohoe

Joe Lane

Joseph West

Joshan Patel

Kyle Johnson

Louise Blunt

Maeve Dolan

Mason Daw

Mason Simpkins

Michael McAuley

Milly Webb

Morgan Brennan

Reece Stowe

Sydney Isitt-Ager

Debbie Isitt

Rachel Freck

Neesh Ruben

Nicky Ager

Stephanie Collie

Chris Roope

Sean Van Hales

Greg Keith

Harry Shaw

Tim Stevenson

It's on safe ground. This manger isn't wobbling.

After the pleasing (justified) reaction to 2009s Nativity!, it's not unsurprising to find that two further films would follow it, starting with this, the first of the sequels. Formula remains the same as the first film, here we have David Tennant (great coup by writer and director Debbie Isitt to get him in a dual role) as an harangued teacher out on the road in charge of kiddies as they head towards the National 'Song for Christmas' Competition. Along side him, pulling the the emotional and cunning mental strings, is man-child Mr. Poppy (Marc Wooton once again on film stealing form), enter mirth, poignancy and a raft of engaging kiddies guaranteed to warm the cockles during Yuletide.

This is undeniably Isitt and her team treading on safe ground, which is both a blessing and a curse. For although the finale here - as regards the competition - has a different twist to the first film, it still feels like a redux of that picture - this is because it is. There's also a problem in that the last third is crammed packed with the competition song entries, not to say the songs and routines aren't great (Isitt and editor Nicky Ager co-writing), they are, and it's a nice cross reference of different styles of music. It's just that there comes a point when it veers close to being filler to pad the pic out to over 100 minutes of film, where much of the comedic human drama gets lost in the mix.

However, it's still a warm film, and a real foot tapper that's nice to get involved with at Christmas time. 6/10

A step down, even if it isn't anything all that bad to be honest.

<em>'Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!'</em> is actually, only a tad, more serious than the first film, though it still features all the shenanigans that you'd expect from it. David Tennant is an upgrade on Martin Freeman, as is Joanna Page on Ashley Jensen. Marc Wootton is basically the same, as are Jason Watkins and Pam Ferris.

This one doesn't have as much charm as the original, not helped by the majority of it feeling like a copy. Sure, some things are changed but it's practically the same story - except for that fact that there is no actual Nativity play involved, so there's that. I still didn't dislike it though, it serves its purpose I guess.

Best Movies

Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

David Tennant

Marc Wootton

Pam Ferris

Jessica Hynes

Joanna Page

Jason Watkins

Ian McNeice

Ben Wilby

Brandon McDonald

Rosie Cavaliero

Box office

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