Lacey Chabert and Kristoffer Polaha, two well-known stars of Hallmark, assume the leading roles in The Christmas Quest as a divorced couple who must reunite for an exciting journey in Iceland to seek out the legendary treasure hidden by the mythical Yule Lads. Stephanie, portrayed by Chabert, plays an archaeologist dedicated to finding the treasure, and when a wealthy patron offers to finance the expedition, she reaches out to her former spouse, the only person capable of deciphering the treasure map. The movie stands out among typical Hallmark films due to its expansive setting, giving it a grander feel, yet still manages to deliver the expected charm and romance thanks to the on-screen chemistry between the two stars.
Opening Shot: Iceland, 1994. An archaeologist named Joan Hamilton (Erin Cahill) explores a dark, abandoned-looking building and discovers a leather-bound book. She shines her flashlight on the pages and comes to the realization that she’s just discovered something huge.
The Gist: Hamilton is, or was, an explorer whose daughter Dr. Stephanie Baxter (Lacey Chabert) grew up with her mother’s passion for history and adventure. The manuscript that Joan found is an old text that tells the story of the Yule Lads, Icelandic trolls who venture down from a mountaintop to spread mischief on Christmas, and the book itself features secret inscriptions that, legend has it, will lead to treasure once they’re decoded. Stephanie has spent her own career following in her mother’s footsteps trying to chase the treasure, and one day, a mysterious benefactor named Victor Grimes tells her he found the key that can decode the scrolls and he wants to send her on a quest to search for the treasure.
Using the key, Stephanie locates an ancient horn that’s actually a cypher that can help translate the Norse runes printed in the book, and she realizes there’s only one person she’s aware of who can read Norse runes: her ex-husband, Chase (Kristoffer Polaha). Convenient! Chase reluctantly agrees to decode one of the clues printed in the book, but there’s a reason he and Stephanie got divorced and it’s mostly that they really don’t get along. She spent most of their marriage obsessed with her digs and other adventures, and he’s still resentful that she prioritized that over him. When Grimes makes him an offer he can’t refuse, Chase finally agrees to go with Stephanie to Iceland so they can find and solve the 13 clues that will lead them to the treasure. But once they start solving the clues that will lead them to the treasure, it turns out…they’re being followed by a rival treasure hunter.
As they try to outwit their opposition, they hike through mountains and caves, dress up to attend a fancy ball at a museum, it’s all very classic Indiana Jones stuff.
Ultimately though, they have to outwit their own benefactor, Grimes, who turns out not to be the wonderful patron of history that they thought he was when they learn that he plans to sell off any treasure they find to the highest bidder rather than donating it to a museum. That’s when they team up with their rival treasure hunter Karlotta (Aldís Amah Hamilton) who, it turns out, is the sworn protector of the treasure and it’s her sworn purpose to not let the treasure fall into the wrong hands. The last clue does lead to treasure, but not one of any real value. It leads them to a cave that Stephanie’s own mother discovered years before, where she left Stephanie a note reminding her that she was the greatest treasure of all. And now that Stephanie’s been on the same journey as her mom, it’s time for Stephanie to discover her own treasure that lies in Chase and whatever future they have together.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of? This film is what happens when Hallmark makes their version of an Indiana Jones movie, but omits any sexy bits or real peril.
Our Take: I don’t know for certain, but if I had to guess, A Christmas Quest might be one of the higher-budget Hallmark holiday films this year with it’s truly incredible Icelandic scenery that was shot on location and that fact that Chabert and Polaha, two of the network’s biggest stars, appear in it. This is the first time the two have appeared together onscreen and I hope it’s not the last, because their chemistry makes their onscreen relationship feel realistic and romantic.
The film strikes a great balance between romance and adventure – the couple traverses the Icelandic landscape, gets trapped in caves, and is forced to stealthily steal a museum worker’s badge to sneak into the storage area to locate yet another clue – and while they find themselves in sticky situations, nothing ever truly becomes dangerous, but it still manages to feel exciting. (Honestly, it’s the perfect adventure movie for kids who might be otherwise averse to the genre.) I stopped trying to follow the exact narrative of the troll story early on – there are 13 of them, and eventually they lead to treasure – but the film tries to be authentic when referencing the Yule Lads mythology which can lead to a lot of references to Icelandic names and places that are overwhelming to try and remember. Still, it’s a nice touch that lends to the authenticity of the story and is the whole reason the film ends up in Iceland in the first place.
Parting Shot: At a local bar in Iceland on Christmas day, Chase, Stephanie, Karlotta, and everyone else who helped them in their Christmas quest, raise a glass to their shared adventure, and Chase and Stephanie share a kiss.
Performance Worth Watching: Though the film has a small cast of supporting characters, it’s carried entirely by Chabert and Polaha, whose rapport is the real star of the show.
Memorable Dialogue: At one point early on in the movie, Chase and Stephanie bicker about how she used to carelessly tangle the Christmas lights by throwing them haphazardly into a box, leaving them in a ball for the next year. It seems like a throwaway line, a reason for Chase to nitpick at Stephanie’s flaws, but it’s called back later. As the two reignite their relationship in Iceland, they have a heart to heart where Stephanie admits she would tangle the lights on purpose because it would give the two of them more time to spend together as they decorated their Christmas tree. Aw, you two!
Our Call: STREAM IT! A Christmas Quest is a romantic, funny, and occasionally exciting family-friendly adventure.
Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.
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