The Naughty Nine is a 2023 Disney+ original movie that's basically "Ocean's Eleven meets Home Alone," but make it elementary school. The premise: Five kids who end up on Santa's Naughty List decide to break into the North Pole on Christmas Eve to delete their names from the database and save Christmas for themselves. They recruit four more "naughty" kids to pull off the heist, hence the title.
It's a family-friendly holiday caper with Danny Glover as Santa (yes, really), directed by Alberto Belli, and clearly designed to be Disney's answer to the Netflix holiday movie machine. Think less Elf, more Spy Kids energy with candy canes.
Disney+ rates The Naughty Nine as TV-PG, which is their "hey, some parental guidance suggested" rating. There's no official MPAA rating since it's a streaming original, but if this hit theaters, it would've been a solid PG.
What that actually means for your family:
- Ages 6-10: This is the sweet spot. The humor lands, the stakes feel real (but not scary), and the message about redemption and friendship resonates.
- Ages 4-5: Probably fine if they can handle 90 minutes of plot, but some of the heist tension might be a bit much for sensitive kids.
- Ages 11+: They'll likely find it a bit young and predictable, unless they're really into the nostalgia of kid-caper movies or just want something light and brainless during holiday break.
No swearing, no violence beyond slapstick pratfalls, no romantic content beyond maybe a tiny crush subplot that goes nowhere. It's genuinely designed for elementary-age kids.
Look, this isn't going to win any awards, but it hits some solid kid-appeal buttons:
The "bad kids" are the heroes. There's something deeply satisfying for kids about seeing the "naughty list" kids be the protagonists. It's validation for every kid who's ever felt unfairly judged or made a mistake.
The heist genre is catnip for this age group. Planning, teamwork, gadgets, sneaking around—kids eat this stuff up. It's the same reason Spy Kids and Night at the Museum work so well.
It's got that Disney Channel Original Movie energy. If you grew up on DCOMs, you know the vibe: slightly cheesy, earnest, with kid actors who are trying their best. For today's kids who stream everything, this scratches that same itch.
Here's where it gets interesting—and where you might want to have a conversation with your kids afterward:
The "naughty list" is about behavior, not character. The movie does a decent job showing that these kids aren't bad kids—they made mistakes, had misunderstandings, or were dealing with tough situations (divorced parents, feeling overlooked, etc.). The message is pretty clear: one bad choice doesn't define you.
There's a whole subplot about Santa's database being flawed. Without spoiling too much, the movie suggests that Santa's surveillance system might not be as accurate as we think. This is actually a pretty interesting conversation starter about judgment, context, and how we determine who's "good" or "bad."
The redemption arc is heavy-handed but genuine. By the end, the kids learn that trying to cheat the system isn't the answer—taking responsibility and making amends is. It's not subtle, but it's age-appropriate and actually kind of sweet.
Let's not sugarcoat it: this movie is aggressively mid. The acting is Disney Channel-level, the plot is predictable, and there are moments where you'll be checking your phone. If you're hoping for Home Alone-level cleverness or Pixar-level emotional depth, you're going to be disappointed.
The "break the rules to fix things" premise might also rub some parents the wrong way. Yes, the kids ultimately learn their lesson, but there's a solid 60 minutes of them actively scheming to hack Santa's system. If you're trying to teach your kids about following rules and respecting authority, this might create some cognitive dissonance.
Also, it's 100% a "Santa is real" movie, so if your family doesn't do the Santa thing or if your older kids are in that post-belief phase, it might feel awkward.
The Naughty Nine is perfectly fine. It's not going to rot anyone's brain, it's not going to traumatize your six-year-old, and it's not going to inspire your kids to plan an actual heist (probably). It's a harmless, mildly entertaining holiday movie that elementary-age kids will enjoy and parents can tolerate without wanting to claw their eyes out.
Watch it if: You need a holiday movie for kids ages 6-10, you're fine with "Santa is real" content, and you're okay with a predictable but harmless story about redemption.
Skip it if: Your kids are over 11 and need something with more substance, you're trying to avoid "breaking the rules" narratives, or you just can't handle another mediocre streaming holiday movie.
If your kids end up loving the heist vibe, check out Spy Kids or The Goonies for similar "kids on a mission" energy. And if you want to dig into more holiday viewing options that aren't just Netflix's endless parade of forgettable rom-coms, explore family-friendly holiday movies
that actually have some staying power.
And hey, if this sparks a conversation about Santa, the naughty list, or what it means to be "good," lean into it. That's actually the best part of watching stuff with your kids—the conversations afterward are where the real learning happens.