Niko - Lentäjän poika (2008)

Directors:

Michael Hegner
Kari Juusonen

Writers:

Hannu Tuomainen (written by) and
Marteinn Thorisson (written by) ...

Release Date:

10 October 2008 (Finland)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family

Plot:

A young reindeer who suffers from vertigo learns to overcome his fear, takes flying lessons from a clumsy flying squirrel and heads to the North pole to save a troubled Santa and his fleet of flying reindeer.

Plot Keywords:

Reindeer | Flying Squirrel | Wolf | Fatherless Child | Weasel

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Olli Jantunen	...	Niko (voice: Finnish version)
Hannu-Pekka Björkman	...	Julius (voice: Finnish version)
Vuokko Hovatta	...	Wilma (voice: Finnish version)
Vesa Vierikko	...	Musta Susi (voice: Finnish version)
Jussi Lampi	...	Räyskä (voice: Finnish version)
Risto Kaskilahti	...	Rimppa / Uljas (voice: Finnish version)
Minttu Mustakallio	...	Essie (voice: Finnish version)
Juha Veijonen	...	Raavas (voice: Finnish version)
Puntti Valtonen	...	Hirvas (voice: Finnish version)
Elina Knihtilä	...	Oona (voice: Finnish version)
Juulia Rönkkö	...	Saaga (voice: Finnish version)
Tommi Korpela	...	Porolauman johtaja (voice: Finnish version)
Aarre Karén	...	Isoisä (voice: Finnish version)
Arttu Hämäläinen	...	Poropoika 1 (voice: Finnish version)
Ilmari Huhtala	...	Poropoika 2 (voice: Finnish version)

Also Known As:

Det store stjernespring (Denmark) (working title)
Lentäjän poika (Finland) (working title)
Niko & The Way to the Stars (International: English title)
Niko - Ein Rentier hebt ab (Germany)
Niko - På väg mot stjärnorna (Finland: Swedish title)
Niko og de flyvende rensdyr (Denmark)
Niko og vejen til stjernerne (Denmark) (working title)
The Flight Before Christmas (USA)
The Way to the Stars (International: English title) (pre-release title)
Tie tähtiin (Finland) (working title)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

Finland | Denmark | Germany | Ireland

Language:

English | Finnish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Denmark:7 | Finland:K-7 | USA:G | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:6 | Sweden:Btl | Singapore:G | South Korea:All | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Finland

Company:

Cinemaker Oy

Trivia:

This is the most expensive Finnish animated film.

Soundtrack:

Flying Forces Rock

Good Animation - Questionable "Christmas" message

First off, the animation is beautiful. Very very well done. Possibly one of the best CG animation jobs on a Christmas Special ever! But I have to agree with some of the other American reviews on this board. Santa's reindeer are a bunch of womanizing pigs. One of them stops by and impregnates the star's (Niko's) mother. She never sees him again. Niko doesn't know which of the reindeer is his father, and when he finally meets up with the team, he asks if any of them met a lady on one of their flights...and they all proudly say yes and pretty much tell us that they all impregnate as many deer as possible.

So, Santa's reindeer like to have sex and not a relationship with a female.

Is that appropriate for a Christmas special? Not in the USA. It might be in other TV shows and movies...but come on...a Christmas special...and reindeer that are on Santa's team? Santa represents family and kids, and magic...all that's good...is this special from the creators of "Bad Santa"? At least that was a comedy.

For you Finns that are saying that Americans like to sugar coat stuff and aren't being realistic to the world...um...not all of us are from the trailer-park and make guest appearances on The Jerry Springer Show. I am a father and actually don't have one night stands and actually married the woman I fell in love with and had kids "after" we were married (novel concept eh?). Plus I actually want to have a relationship with my kids. Maybe men aren't that way in Finland, but there are a good portion of us that are good family men in the USA.

Even though the womanizing reindeer part of the story went over the head of my 4 year old, it's really not a message I want her to see at that age...let alone in a Christmas special.

I'd rather her grow up thinking men are good, and not all dead-beat-dad wanna-bees.

What's next? Showing a new take on the Little Drummer Boy and how he was sexually abused by a religious authority figure? That happens too, but not something I want to celebrate at Christmas time with my kids by having it forced into a story where it didn't need to be. I know...what about showing what really happened to the three "wise men" on their journey to Bethlehem? Maybe they stopped by a brothel? Perfect for the kids! Men do that all the time, so it's okay to show in a children's holiday special!

It's a shame this good animation and the voice talent was wasted on this story. A story that could just as easily been changed so that the father was just a "glory hound" or a "workaholic" or even like it's "his duty" (like a soldier that's off at war and can't visit his kids...which is happening now to kids all over). Something to think about.