One of the more celebrated modern holiday specials is the 2009 made for TV Disney featurette, Prep & Landing. Despite being well received and fondly remembered to this day, it's not quite ranked up there with other Christmas classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, or even Mickey's Christmas Carol. Part of that may be that the film was under the leadership of the then new Disney-Pixar team up, which brought out hit or miss results from the company. One of which was the standard buddy formula found in other Pixar films, which is what brings us to this special today.
Centering around top prep and landing elf Wayne and his new teammate Lanny, the two elves encounter a sudden change in their mission and how important the meaning of Christmas really is. Based on that premise alone, what you expect is exactly what you get. You got the cynical dolt of Wayne who sees Christmas only as a job teamed up with the idealistic rookie in love with the holiday spirit, and then the pessimist has a change of heart in the end. There's few surprises along the way, as we know exactly what will happen to Wayne and Lanny by the end of the story. It doesn't help that Wayne takes quite a lot of time to warm up to, especially when he's the most selfish entitled elf in the entire story. Also, if we're to believe that Santa Claus is really as big of a deal to the one kid that Wayne and Lanny encounter, then perhaps the crazy climax should have been reserved for another movie. A more reasonable solution would be if they went to multiple houses beforehand, but then they say why this one kid is so special. It makes the whole special feel underwhelming as a result.
However, despite the predictable storyline, the special does at least have its heart in the right place for its intended family demographic. It's obvious that this was made for a general going audience, so kids can enjoy the funny elf characters and Christmas references, while adults can find joy in the message of giving to others out of kindness. While the special itself might not resonate with everyone, it will shine bright in the hearts of those who love spending yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories with their loved ones. Even the action sequences, colorful art direction and voice acting are just enough to keep the special's momentum going, so the entertainment value is all there for sure. So even if the short's narrative is far from being unique, what the special does offer on the side may or may not be to your liking. Also, tell me one person who wouldn't find at least some charm in Michael Giacchino's heart melting score. Like most Christmas specials, it might not have too much to offer, but at least there's just enough for the intended viewers to enjoy.
You know what's funny? Prep & Landing is in many ways like a Christmas present given to you by one of your family members. It may not be what you wanted, but it was given to you out of love and kindness, as the best families do on the holidays. So in the end, the featurette is enjoyable enough for a traditional yearly viewing, but it's more of the same in terms of story and characters. Since it's now streaming on Disney+, now is a good time to give it a watch. Also, even if you don't end up liking it, it sure beats another stupid Olaf special.
