Review

Operation Christmas: Santa's Secret Mission or Just Another Eggnog-Induced Hallucination?

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a Hallmark movie and an undercover spy thriller had a jolly, tinsel-laden baby, "Operation Christmas" is your answer. Think of it as "Mission Impossible" meets "Deck the Halls," but with more cocoa consumption and fewer explosions (unless you count the ones in the baking kitchen).

Our leading lady, Holly (because it's a Hallmark holiday movie, of course), is a covert agent who probably wanted to be a full-time Christmas enthusiast until someone shoved an espionage handbook in her mittened hands. Her mission this year? To infiltrate the ultimate holiday hub and spread cheer in a town that has banned Christmas due to... well, something about a Grinch-like mayor and a shortage of twinkle lights.

There’s everything you expect from Hallmark holiday movies: snowfall that seems genetically engineered for emotional effect, a Christmas tree that grows at least two feet every scene, and enough gingerbread houses to make a realtor weep. Holly’s love interest, a rugged lumberjack-type who’s suspiciously good at assembling snowmen and giving heartwarming speeches, provides the perfect foil to her spy life gone merry.

The film's tension peaks when Holly accidentally gifts a box of high-tech gadgets instead of candy canes at the community center. But don’t worry, it’s all resolved with a strategically timed snowball fight and hot chocolate, because in the land of Hallmark movies, dairy is key to diplomatic relations.

"Operation Christmas" is a delightful romp where plot twists are as predictable as the eggnog-induced nap you've been meaning to take, yet somehow it works like holiday magic. True, it may not secure a place in cinematic history next to the likes of "Citizen Kane," but if you're looking for something that's equal parts sugar and sass, this is your yuletide jam. Just remember, if this movie doesn’t get you, the avalanche of mistletoe certainly will.