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Operation Christmas Drop (film)
Operation Christmas Drop is a 2020 American Christmas romantic comedy film directed by Martin Wood from a screenplay by Gregg Rossen and Brian Sawyer. Starring Kat Graham and Alexander Ludwig, the fictional film is based on the real-life U.S. Air Force Operation Christmas Drop humanitarian mission.

'''Kat Graham, who is a Swiss-American actor, plays the leading role in the film. She is best known for her character Bonnie Bennett in the hit television series The Vampire Diaries. Kat has multiple film credits and has been acting since 1998, her first gig being a children's classic, The Parent Trap. Alexander Ludwig is a Canadian actor who stands beside Kat Graham in a leading role throughout the film. He rose to fame with his role as Cato in The Hunger Games.''' The film was directed by Martin Wood, a successful Canadian director who is known for his work on science-fiction movies.

Plot
"Erica (Kat Graham) is walking through Washington, DC, doing Christmas shopping for her boss, Congresswoman Bradford. She is on the phone with one of her friends from the office as she proceeds to describe Operation Christmas Drop and its initiatives. Her co-worker sends her a photo of what appears to be the operation's pilot, Andrew (Alexander Ludwig), in a racy outfit, to launch the new year's operation. Erica proceeds to describe how Operation Christmas Drop is an initiative run by the United States airforce where soldiers airdrop medicine, supplies, and toys for people around Guam's islands."

"When Erica gets back to the office, Congresswoman Bradford (Virginia Madsen) explains that she needs to cut funding at three airforce bases to better her chances at winning votes in her next election. She uses Andrew's scandal as an excuse to want to overthrow the command and sends Erica with the mission to find a way to shut their base down. Erica must then tell her family she is unable to spend Christmas with her father and her step-mother. The next shot shows Andrew in Guam, talking to his family back home. It is evident that he misses being with them for the holidays and trying his best to bring Christmas to the island. Andrew proceeds to gets orders of a political official coming to the island to investigate Operation Christmas Drop, where he must show them what goes on on the island."

'''"Erica lands on Guam, waiting for someone to pick her up to give the tour around the island. Andrew makes his way down the beach wearing nothing but a swimsuit, where he notices Erica looks out of place. Andrew realizes Erica is the political official he needs to show around the island to convince her to keep Operation Christmas Drop alive. Erica says she has everything figured out and needs to act standoffish to ensure she lets nothing cloud her judgment of shutting down the base in hopes of receiving a promotion. Andrew drives Erica around the island, thinking he has her all figured out, leading her away from what they are doing behind the scenes. Erica catches on to Andrew's tricks and finds out they have been targeting a lot of time and effort into throwing a Christmas Party on the island, in addition to the drop. Erica explains that they cannot be utilizing taxpayers' income toward parties that serve no benefit to the United States economy. Andrew promises that everything is donation-based, where no illegal activity is going on with the operation or the base. He and Erica get into a fight where she explains she has already made up her mind, and it is out of her control what happens to the base."'''

"Erica attends a dinner with the air force base captain and his wife the night before returning home to give in her report. The captain's wife begins to explain how Andrew is more than what he seems, and her perception of him should not cloud her judgement for what happens to the airbase. Erica learns about all the remarkable things that Andrew has done for the island and its residents, thinking twice about what she should report to her boss. She begins to fall for his charm and agrees to let Andrew show her what joy the island and the air force community can bring."

"Andrew invites Erica to the Christmas Party they have been planning for the island, and their relationship begins to flourish. Erica finally begins to loosen up when the congresswoman shows up on the island and yells at Erica in front of a crowd. The congresswoman demands the operation not to go through, but Erica insists otherwise and further plans the drop."

"The Operation Christmas Drop commences where Erica and Andrew go to the surrounding islands of Guam to drop off supplies and toys. Andrew lands the aircraft where congresswoman Bradford is waiting for Erica, looking seemingly angry with her. The congresswoman begins to describe how she has never seen people react with such joy from the military's help like that before. She thanks Erica for making her know how real Christmas joy should look."

"Erica and Andrew walk down the street toward Andrew's home on the island. Erica begins to talk about how much she has learned to form Andrew and finally opens up about her family relationship. Andrew describes how much he misses his family and wishes he could be with them during this holiday as he rarely sees them due to his demanding job. Erica then surprises him that she pulled some strings and had his family flown out to the island to be with him. They finally kiss in the middle of the street as their romance blooms."

Cast

 * Kat Graham as Erica
 * Alexander Ludwig as Andrew
 * Virginia Madsen as Congresswoman Bradford
 * Janet Kidder as Lieutenant Colonel Blaine
 * Jeffrey Joseph as
 * Bethany Brown as Sunshine
 * Trezzo Mahoro as Joker
 * Rohan Campbell as Travis
 * Aliza Vellani as Sally
 * Aaron Douglas as Sampson
 * Xavier de Guzman as John-Michael
 * Bruce Best as Brother Bruce
 * Linden Banks as Haskell
 * Eileen Pedde as Anna
 * Brittany Willacy as Christina
 * Anthony Salas as Big Tone
 * Reymundo Villaflor as Sweeper

Production
In May 2019, it was reported that Kat Graham and Alexander Ludwig would star in Operation Christmas Drop for Netflix from a screenplay by Gregg Rossen and Brian Sawyer. The film was released on November 5, 2020, by Netflix and produced by Motion Picture Corporation of America.

Background
"Since 1952, the U.S air force utilizes the humanitarian mission to train air force operatives while also helping those in need around Micronesia's various small islands. Through local communities' support, the Operation Christmas Drop can happen every year with donations from companies surrounding the islands. The location of Operation Christmas Drop is in Guam, an island in the North Pacific. Netflix found it appropriate to host production on the same island as the real Operation Christmas Drop, including using the same air force base, making it the first Hollywood film ever shot there."

Production of the film took place on the U.S. territory of Guam. It is one of the first movies filmed in Guam to receive wide distribution and have a Hollywood production be filmed using its location.

"Netflix used shots from the 2019 operation in the film while additionally having its crew from Hollywood volunteered sort donations on their days off. In the trailer, the fictional congresswoman criticizes "using military equipment to drop Christmas presents," however, the mission is known to have operational benefits with the air force team. It provides them with a real-world opportunity to practice airdrops used to resupply forces in ground operations."

Soundtrack
'''The soundtrack for the film consists of classic Christmas songs with an island twist. As the music is not an overbearing factor within the film, they still drive many of the scenes and set the movie's tone.''' The soundtrack was done by Hamish Thomson.

Release
Operation Christmas Drop was released on November 5, 2020, by Netflix.

Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 50% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 5.80/10.

"'''The reviews written about the film have been very controversial. Some viewers admire the film's adaptation and discuss being inspired by the light shed on the Operation Christmas Drop to the world. Most critics reviewed the film, stating that it follows the same romantic comedy formula with little imagination." '''

"Everything in "Operation Christmas Drop" falls predictably into place like children nestled all snug in their beds. Each plot point and character dynamic appears predetermined, and not in a seasonally charming way." 

"This high-flying tale isn't here to satisfy just any Christmas enthusiasts. The untraditional film warms our hearts not with snow and grand decoration, but with an authentic holiday in the tropics and the essence of giving back."

'''Kyle Turner from The New York Times says that “Operation Christmas Drop” is stuffed like a stocking with clichés and tropes is not as bothersome as its unwillingness to put its own spin on those ideas. Even something as minor as an inventive physical gag contrasting the balmy local weather with the traditionally snowy ideal would have gotten this movie’s rusty bells to jingle. Instead, much of the film feels not light and breezy, but like a self-conscious chore, unwilling to deviate from an established blueprint. '''