Cynics will sneeze in shock; children, young and old, will cuddle up and dream along.
The Polar Express (2004)
Rated: U
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Theatrical Release: 03-12-2004
Synopsis: Director Robert Zemeckis revolutionized the art of animated film in 1998's WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT by dropping cartoon characters into the same frame with flesh-and-blood actors. In THE POLAR EXPRESS, live action and animation have merged seamlessly, resulting in sparkling... Director Robert Zemeckis revolutionized the art of animated film in 1998's WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT by dropping cartoon characters into the same frame with flesh-and-blood actors. In THE POLAR EXPRESS, live action and animation have merged seamlessly, resulting in sparkling super-realism. A landmark technique Zemeckis and his Sony Pictures Imageworks team call "Performance Capture" perfectly suits the tenor of this wondrous children's Christmas story by Chris Van Allsburg. A disillusioned little boy, just old enough to doubt the existence of Santa Claus, has the adventure of a lifetime one fateful Christmas Eve. Clad in his pajamas, he climbs aboard a magic train to the North Pole, driven by a kindly train conductor (voiced by Tom Hanks who starred in both of Zemeckis's Academy-Award winning films FORREST GUMP and CASTAWAY). Among myriad jaw-dropping moments, the train plummets brakeless through crystalline mountains in a simulated roller coaster ride. Going off the rails, skidding sideways, and snaking violently across a frozen lake, the train arrives at the North Pole (a vast, glowing city of brick buildings). At that moment, the car carrying the kids detaches and they're sent tumbling down never-ending chutes and slides until they land in the middle of Santa's Workshop. With its fascinating tale and impressive technical frolics, THE POLAR EXPRESS is destined to become both a holiday classic and a new turning point in the art of animated cinema. [More]
Genre: Childrens
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Peter Scolari, Nona Gaye, Eddie Deezen
Screenwriter: William Broyles, Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Steve Starkey, Gary Goetzman, William Teitler, Robert Zemeckis
Composer: Alan Silvestri
DVD Info
Release:
Jun 10, 2009
Blu-ray Features:
- Widescreen 2.40
Audio:
- Dolby Surround 5.1 English
- Dolby Surround 2.0 Latin Spanish
Reviews
As a complete package, Zemeckis’ surreal, hallucinogenic adventure is pretty inconsequential.
Sure, it's overly saccharine and desperately overblown, and the film loses momentum well before the end, but it's hard not to get into the spirit and enjoy it.
Besides its dead-eyed cast, this 'animated' escapade is thrown off the tracks by pointless detours seemingly intended just to stretch the journey time.
Enchanting, if disconcerting, feel-good fare loaded with predictable, wholesome messages but crammed with enough Christmas wonderment to off-set the saccharine.
Frequently exciting, a little scary ... and rather sweet at times. Actually, it's mostly over-sweet.
Nearly as much a movie advocating a belief in Santa Claus as a belief in the real existence of CGI animated characters, the film is at once mystifying and uninvolving.
The animation looks like an oil painting come to life and the overall viewing experience is awe inspiring.
...might better be called The Bipolar Express, with so much that is sweet and light on the one hand and so much that is tiring and humdrum on the other.
Unfortunately, Zemeckis has allowed his technical-savvy, circus-like movie to lose touch with its human charcaters, resulting in a cold and distanced animation.
How many kids do you know who would find comfort in a homeless ghost who drinks his own sock juice?
...the IMAX Corporation would do well to have this available every year in 3D. They have finally come upon their staple film.
The Polar Express seems overly concerned with aping real life instead of creating its own universe.
People will be polarized by this well-oiled machine of a family holiday vehicle.
Strap yourself in and try not to vomit, because this is more of a theme-park event than a movie -- Pirates of the Caribbean in reverse, a wild ride stripped of its story, down to a rattling series of obvious, underwhelming effects.
Despite some technical pizzazz, this flick ends up leaving viewers as cold as the North Pole itself.
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