You know, when I first heard the title “The Guardians of Christmas”, I thought: “Here we go again — another Christmas comedy about someone stealing Christmas and someone else bringing it back.” We’ve all seen dozens of those, right? And then the release date — November 13, 2025. Who releases a Christmas movie a month and a half before the holiday? That’s like starting to sing carols in October.
But then I watched the trailer. And… damn. Stanislav Boklan as Saint Nicholas arguing with Santa Claus (Mykhailo Kukuyuk!) and some ancient Grandfather Winter (Ivan Blindar). All in Ukrainian. With faces I’ve loved since “Servant of the People,” “Crazy Wedding,” and tons of our other films. And I realized — I have to see this. No question.
What is the movie actually about (no spoilers, I promise)
Little Vira (a very cute girl, played by a debut actress, by the way) for some reason decides that Christmas shouldn’t exist at all. And — bam! — her wish comes true. But it gets granted by three wizards who, at that exact moment, are arguing over who’s the most important. Can you imagine? Saint Nicholas, Santa, and the Spirit of Winter turn it into a real “battle for supremacy.” As a result — Christmas disappears. Completely. Even from people’s memories.
And suddenly these three legendary grandpas become… just regular guys. No magic. No beards (well, almost). And they have to team up to save the holiday before it’s too late. Time is running out, because when Christmas vanishes for good, something… let’s just say, not very cheerful happens.
Why I left the theater grinning ear to ear
First — the humor. It’s ours. Ukrainian. Not the kind that was “imported from Hollywood and translated,” but truly ours. You’ve got lines like “come on, what are you even telling me” and “oh, just go already,” plus tons of moments that make you laugh out loud. I sat there thinking: “Finally, someone figured out what a Ukrainian comedy should sound like.”
Second — the actors. Stanislav Boklan… what can I say. It’s like if Santa Claus and Hryhoriy Reshetnyk had a son together — that’s him. Seriously, his Saint Nicholas is a masterpiece. And when he starts arguing with Kukuyuk’s Santa about who’s cooler — I nearly fell out of my seat.
Ivan Blindar as the Spirit of Winter is a whole separate story. An ancient Ukrainian spirit who’s older than everyone but speaks with a slight Transcarpathian accent. And it works so well.
Roman Lutskiy, Dmytro Sova, Kateryna Kuznetsova — everyone is perfectly cast. No one feels forced. Everything feels natural.
What about the visuals?
For Ukrainian cinema in 2025 — very respectable. There are a few CGI moments where you can tell the budget isn’t Hollywood-level, but it doesn’t ruin the experience at all. Because the main thing here isn’t special effects — it’s the atmosphere. And that atmosphere is simply magical. Literally.
I especially loved the scenes in “the place where the wizards live.” No spoilers, but it’s gorgeous. And very Ukrainian. With embroidered shirts, straw didukhs, and a feeling that this isn’t just “somewhere out there” — it’s right here, at home.
Are there any downsides?
Yes. Of course there are.
Some jokes drag on a bit. There are a couple of scenes that could have been cut by 5–7 minutes. The film runs 93 minutes, and around the 70-minute mark I thought, “Okay, here comes the finale.” But it kept going a little longer. Not a deal-breaker, though.
And the ending is a tad predictable. But you know what? I didn’t care. I was so invested in these three grandpas that I just wanted everything to work out for them.
Who is this movie for?
Everyone. Seriously.
- Want to laugh — plenty of hilarious moments
- Want Christmas spirit in the middle of November — here it is
- Want to show your kids Ukrainian cinema you can actually be proud of — this is it
- Want to support our own — you get the idea
I watched it with my wife and daughter. My daughter laughed the loudest. My wife later said: “Finally a decent Ukrainian comedy where the jokes aren’t embarrassing.”
My verdict
The Guardians of Christmas isn’t just a movie. It’s a gift. From Ukrainian cinema — to all of us.
Yes, it’s not perfect. Yes, there’s room to grow. But for the first time in many years, I left the theater feeling that our cinema can do it. It can be funny, warm, beautiful, and — most importantly — ours.
Rating: 8.5/10
(docking half a point for the slightly dragged-out third act, but in my heart it’s a 9)
Go watch it. Because Christmas like this only comes once a year. And a movie like this — maybe once in many years.
Have you already seen it? Let me know what you think. And definitely bring your kids, parents, friends. Because this is that rare case when a Ukrainian film really is for the whole family.
With Christmas spirit,
ReelPoint
See also:
Motivational Business Movies I Rewatch When Everything Goes to Hell
Movies That Inspire You to Live: Stories of Inner Strength and Hope
Motivational Movies for Women: A Selection of Films That Inspire Action
