 | |  |  | | Media: | HD DVD | | Country: | USA | | Studio: | Warner Home Video | | Cert: | G | | Discs: | 1 |
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| Review Scores | | Movie |  | | Picture |  | | Sound |  | | Extras | | | Overall | | | Review Verdict |
The Polar Express is a very seasonal film that plays well to the younger audience for which it was intended. Older more cynical viewers will find the animation style and general story somewhat less than appealing, even though its heart is in the right place. As an HD DVD package an excellent picture and above average sound is slightly let down by a short extras package, though I’s nice to have some exclusive content. Perhaps one for the kids.
| | Overall score : 5 | | Movie | | The Polar Express | | Date | 2004 | | Genres | Family
Animation
Adventure
Fantasy | | Director | | Robert Zemeckis | | Stars | Eddie Deezen
Leslie Harter Zemeckis
Nona Gaye
Tom Hanks |
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Screen captures are for illustration purposes and may not originate from the item reviewed. | | The Polar Express Review| HD DVD review written by Simon Crust, published 12th June 2007 | Supplied for review by  | The Polar Express is a Christmas story about a growing child whose faith in the Christmas spirit and belief in Santa Claus is wavering. During Christmas Eve night, he is woken by train, the Polar Express, outside his house that whisks him on a timeless journey to the North Pole to meet Santa and restore his belief. On the way he meets many characters and makes some new friends and once he is returned to his home the journey remains with him for the rest of his life.
It is a story that has been told many times, in many different incarnations and many different films, restoring of ones faith/belief around the time of Christmas, but what makes this particular film stand out is its animation. Using 3D motion capture and then animating the results is a near perfect replica motion. In fact it’s almost too good, because whilst technically perfect, the movements don’t seem entirely natural within the confines of the animation; animation works on being stylised, i.e. the essence of movement, when it’s all too real, something seems to be lost. This is particularly true of facial movements and expressions for in The Polar Express, the faces, and predominantly the eyes, are almost ghoulish. However, looking past this flaw we are left with a rather simple and familiar story. The physical journey is a metaphorical trip to find one’s belief, the many obstacles encountered on the way represent innocence lost while the characters represent facets of personality; loosing the ticket = losing one’s way; leaving the comfort of the train carriage to walk on the roof = taking a different path from the comfortable one; finding the ticket and returning it to its rightful owner = a small step to finding oneself on a perilous journey. The film is not inherently religious and these ideas are merely steps to a greater goal, finding that place within one’s heart to truly believe.
Most of the imagery will be lost on its target audience, because at heart the film is a children’s film, and watched with a child’s eye or with children in the room (as I did) it succeeds quite well. However, there were a number of sequences that I felt where there purely to sell the video game of the same release; the roller coaster train ride, skidding on the ice, etc. instead of the action that it was intended to be. There is never any doubt in the outcome of the film and the simple message that belief can bring you magic, was a nice touch and singularly heart warming in the guise of the sleigh bell. Perhaps a few too many messages, perhaps a little long in its journey, The Polar Express, nevertheless managed to entertain my kids for its run time, even though I found it dragging in the third quarter. It is a Christmas tale through and through, filled with Christmas songs and good cheer, one to while away a Sunday afternoon, preferably near Christmas.
Movie score : 5 | | 514 word review written by Simon Crust. |  | To comment on this review, click here and post a reply.
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