After having watched “Arthur Christmas” with my family once again and enjoying it immensely, I became curious about whether the film is a Grand Argument Story. I checked Rotten Tomatoes and saw a rating of 92%, remembering that @jhull said that a film with more than 80% usually was structurally sound. (There are exceptions of course, such as Rango having 87% and The Martian having 92%, while the original Cars has only 74%.)
An OS Domain of Physics seemed obvious from the start, with trying to get the present to Gwen, all the physical comedy, and being chased by lions and military aircraft. Arthur is definitely a steadfast MC. Grandsanta seems to fit the IC role the best, with a bit of Malcom, Arthur’s father. Grandsanta’s old-fashioned attitude toward “doing Christmas his way” contrasts nicely as a Domain of Mind against Arthur’s clumsiness, etc, as a Domain of Universe.
Grandsanta even provides a “You and I Are Alike” moment: “I just wanted them to remember who I used to be. I was a bit like you, lad, keen as cranberry sauce. So was your dad. You get old, that’s all. Everything changes.”
Interestingly, the two motivation elements of the Antagonist (assuming that the OS Goal is delivering the present to Gwen) seem to be split between two characters. Steve has Reconsider (“Come home now!”), while Chief De Silva has Avoid.
What do you think?
Sources:
rottentomatoes.com