Polar Express
by Cary Woodham. The Polar Express is a family holiday movie about a boy who isn’t sure if Santa is real or not. One Christmas Eve night, a magical passenger train called The Polar Express comes right to his driveway and it’s all aboard to the North Pole where the boy and his newfound friends learn about Santa and the spirit of Christmas.
There really isn’t much of a plot here, same as the book, so it seems that not a lot of stuff really happens. Oh sure, there are some climatic moments. Will the girl find her lost ticket? Will they catch the Christmas tree star before it falls and squishes some elves? But all of these events are resolved quickly and easily within minutes.
The most notable aspect of The Polar Express flick is that it is done entirely in computer animation (Editor’s Note: Actually it’s motion capture, like Gollum from Lord of the Rings). While the CG does a great job reflecting the soft illustrations of the picture book, sometimes the hyper-realistic characters in motion seemed a little off-putting. I kept having flashbacks to Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. However, there are some truly eye-catching moments in The Polar Express, like a high-energy dance number where the kids are served hot chocolate on the train that you would think the kids were being served double shots of espresso instead of hot cocoa).
Kid Factor:
It’s a decent family movie but I found it boring as did one of my little brothers (age 11) who went with us to the viewing. I think younger kids may get squirmy unless they’re REALLY into trains, as most of the action does take place on the famous locomotive. Thereﾒs only one slightly scary scene involving a marionette, and I never understood the point of the helpful hobo ghost who helps the main character along the train. But other than the boringness, it’s a clean, G-rated Christmas family movie, and those are hard to come by nowadays.
The Polar Express
Rating: G
Reviewer: Cary Woodham
Producer: Warner Bros.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Wow that’s an old thing to dig up! I’m a better game reviewer than a movie reviewer. The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favorite Christmas movie. –Cary
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I love the book, it has so many great memories for us … but this movie is just all wrong, in my opinion. It is squarely on the wrong side of the ‘uncanny valley’, and just doesn’t do anything worth seeing. Read the book, skip the movie … even on cable, where it seems to be playing incessantly.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
grrr, stupid santa. WHY DO PARENTS TORTURE THEIR KIDS TELLIN EM’ HE’S REAl!?
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
grrr, stupid santa. WHY DO PARENTS TORTURE THEIR KIDS TELLIN EM’ HE’S REAl!?
He’s not?
This movie was ok. My 6 year old liked it, but I found it somewhat dull. As much as I like this time of year, I find Chirstmas movies (with the exception of A Christmas Story) to be all pretty dull.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Wampa cannot hear the bell.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
My son enjoys the movie, he has watched it a few times. But then he is also really into trains and looks forward to getting our live tree each year because that means his Lionel Polar Express train set get’s to come out and play. I’ve never read the book (though we do have it) so I have nothing to compare it to in that sense, but story wise it is a typical Christmas movie. Though the animation is a little freaky looking at times.
As for Santa, he is alive and well in the hearts of all people (hopefully). Happy Holidays!
PS: My favorite holiday movie is “It’s a Wonderful LIfe” (which I had never seen until I was almost 30).
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:16 am
Whoa, you guys are smart.
note: THE CHRISTMAS STORY RULES!