'Santa's Little Helper' DVD: The Miz Does Kindergarten Cop

The best news as to the WWE-produced 2015 Christmascom "Saanta's Little Helper" starring WWE legend Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin is that Mizanin does not literally or figuratively play a "lunkhead wrestler" beyond frequently showing that he is too sexy for his shirt. This oft-amusing and occasionally hilarious tale of "Greed is Good" businessman Dax the Ax (Mizanin) clearly is an effort of Mizanin to emulate Arnold Schwarzenegger in his roles in the kidcoms "Kindergarten Cop" and "Jingle All the Way."

Our story begins with Dax being gleefully callous in providing a community center notice of an impending eviction. A teen boy not backing down is one of the best scenes in the film. The subsequent scene outside the center shows that that this one is personal for Dax.

The real Santa witnessing this event (and personally experiencing the arrogance of Dax) does not deter Saint Nick from his scheme to make Dax his Ho (aka Ho Ho Ho). This highly coveted "Number One" position at the North Pole can be considered EVP of Operations. 

One bump on the road to the job with Santa is an evaluation by personal trainer elf Billie (AnnaLynne McCord), who has no interest in being a hero. Undue preachiness enters the picture as to Billie having the genetic "deformity" of round ears providing the blessing of passing as a "normie" so that she can covertly evaluate Dax; the "curse" is that this feature precludes Billie from playing all the reindeer games.

Corporate ruthlessness enters the picture in the form of Eleanor (WWE "diva" Paige). Eleanor believes that being the daughter of the recently retired Ho Ho Ho entitles her to being a heartbeat away from ruling the North Pole.

The delight continues with always spot-on "one-take wonder" character actor Tom McLaren portraying mortgage company rep. Harvey, who is the bitch that delivers Dax karma regarding foreclosures. McLaren making the most of that scene and his two subsequent brief (but highly memorable) appearances verifies that he rocks. His enthusiasm for the foreclosure and smile on conquering his foe are highly reminiscent of greedy banker Milburn Drysdale of '60scom "The Beverly Hillbillies."

The action then shifts to Billie expressing her own mischievous delight as to putting Dax through a series of humiliating tests to show that he is worthy of a job that he only knows is highly prestigious.

These adventures begin with going into a biker bar wearing an elf hat and moving onto dressing in a mascot costume and waiting on a birthday party full of spoiled brats at a Chuck E. Cheese's clone restaurant. The delight this time includes "Santa" director/sitcom god Gil Junger playing the restaurant owner. The grand finale is Billie conceding that Dax is justified in dispatching the birthday boy with extreme prejudice.

In true Christmas film spirit, these trials (and a subsequent one at a clone of the Springfield Retirement Castle) gradually thaw the heart of Dax; he fully has drunk the egg nog by the time that he is invited to the home office.

The WWE element enters the picture most prominently when Eleanor exercises her right to challenge the appointment of Dax to the post. This leads to a hilarious competition among the two contenders, who seem to be working without a net.

This leads to closure back on earth, which leads to the inevitable happy ending.

The DVD extras include an AWESOME behind-the-scenes feature in which the principals in front of and behind the scenes share favorite childhood Christmas memories. Though this may result in a smackdown, I confess to not watching a short about Paige.​