The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition)

Destined to become a holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Critics and audiences were divided between those who hailed it as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, and those who felt that the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an eerie and not-quite-lifelike distraction from the story's epic-scale North Pole adventure. In any case it's a benign, kind-hearted celebration of the yuletide spirit, especially for kids who have almost grown out of their need to believe in Santa Claus. Tom Hanks is the nominal "star" who performs five different computer-generated characters, but it's the visuals that steal this show, as director Robert Zemeckis indulges his tireless pursuit of technological innovation. No matter how you respond to the many wonders on display, it's clear that The Polar Express represents a significant milestone in the digital revolution of cinema. If it also fills you with the joy of Christmas (in spite of its Nuremberg-like rally of frantic elves), so much the better. --Jeff Shannon

The World of The Polar Express

The book by Chris Van Allsburg
The Soundtrack
The Magic Journey (Polar Express the Movie) (book)

Stills from Polar Express (click for larger image)

When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Customer Reviews:

A New Holiday Classic
It seems like every time I let controversy over a movie keep me from seeing it in the theater that I regret it. Such was the case with this movie. I heard a lot of criticism over this movie and I let it keep me from seeing it in the theater. How dumb was I? This movie is a lot of fun and a feast for your eyes. Modern film makers make few enough of these films, and this one is a winner.

We meet a boy who is at that age where he begins to realize that the world appears not to have as many mysteries as he believed it did when he was little. One of those mysteries is Santa Claus. He truly wants to believe, but the evidence he has gathered tells him that there is no Santa Claus.

As he falls asleep on Christmas Eve he hears a most unlikely sound: a train pulled by a steam engine outside his house. He quickly runs outside to see a very real train making all sorts of hissing and ticking noises. Then he sees and hears a conductor yelling "All aboard!" The boy does not get on the train in spite of the conductor's best efforts to convince him to board. As the train pulls away the boy changes his mind and barely makes it aboard for a journey to the North Pole!

We soon meet several characters who will be keys to the plot of the movie throughout. Tom Hanks plays no less than five characters: the boy's father, the conductor, the boy himself, Santa Claus, and a hobo ghost. I could tell it was Hanks easily enough with three of the characters, but the other two did not sound like Hanks at all, though I watched an interview with Hanks and I can tell you that it definitely was Hanks.

This movie is filled with subtleties and a lot of fun. I would rather allow you to watch the movie and discover the treats for yourself. To tantalize you a little, the train does get to the North Pole, but only after running out of control and nearly sinking under water. Even after the train gets to the North Pole our heroes end up taking a detour on one of the train cars, ending up somewhere in the heart of an operations center. Even though I knew this movie was animated, the scene where three children cross a trestle over what appears to be a nearly bottomless pit was a bit tense.

This movie is a visual treat throughout, but the visual effects from the point the train appears are spectacular. The train is extremely detailed as are the animals, plants and people. The animation is unusual when compared with animation we have seen in the past because of the type of computer animation used. However, the results are phenomenal. While the animation did distract me a lot sometimes, after having watched this movie umpteen times (for those who like this message, this movie can be addictive) I can tell you that I keep coming back for the message and not the graphics.

This movie was nominated for a bunch of awards, including three Oscars, but it only won four. I found it interesting that this movie won a Grammy Award for Best Song for a Motion Picture, and yet the Oscar people failed to recognize this movie for any sound awards, though the Oscar people nominated it for several sound awards.

I believe that for many people the "Polar Express" will be a holiday favorite and tradition along with the Rankin/Bass classics, "It's a Wonderful Life," and "A Christmas Story." If you have yet to see this one and you enjoy holiday stories, definitely give this one a try with an open mind and an open heart.

Enjoy!

--2006-12-18

Excellent, Excellent and Excellent
I was totally blown away watching this movie. It is a very simple but also a complex movie with only one message and that is "believe". If you believe in something strong enough, you will get what you want. You can't get anything in life if you don't believe in what you want, so "believe". Not knowing anything about this movie before I watched it except that it is a christmas movie, I was totally suprised that it didn't have this "religious" statement attached to it. I commend the author and director of this movie for that "freedom". I highly recommend this movie to everyone that wants to watch a very moving movie.
--2006-12-18

Transfixed, Transformed, Transcended
Mark Blackburn's review is undoubtedly deserving to be the first one to be read. It was more than the adult's perspective, but to be able to have multiple perspectives with a young child next to him.

I was transfixed by the graphics and artistry of this movie. With this type of animation, the simplest of movements -especially human- is often taken for granted. Not so in this film: non-verbal communication was beautifully expressed. A transformation occurred as I found myself wondering "where the feeling of childhood belief in the unknown" had gone.

It was the character of the young black girl that transcended (albeit quite naturally) adult expectations and stereotypes. I so enjoyed watching her, listening to her young girl wisdom (which, with all the speaking children, you have to imagine what their lives were like with their families), and natural leadership. Every time she was asked "Are you sure?", the quizzical look seemed so much like inward doubt -until the last time she's asked the question and there's no hesitation in her response of "Yes."

As beautiful and timely as this movie is, I do have a concern that bothers me, and will bother other children. At the end, there is resolution for the two young boys. Both of them are seen getting off the train, going to their homes, and receiving gifts which were proof of their journey. The young black girl is left on the train. There is no "ending" for her. The train goes on -pretty much into the cosmos of thinking and belief- and she disappears along with it. This is disturbing, and unfortunately, not uncommon. There is an aspect of "redemption" clearly felt and wanted for all three characters (remember that they were not with the whole group of children when the train arrived at the North Pole; they were separated; one child loses the ticket of the young girl, and is full of doubt about the existence of Santa; the other young boy finds his present but doesn't want to let it go in exchange for saving his own life). Two of the three children are shown receiving forgiveness and redemption; the young girl is blatantly OMITTED at the end of the movie. There is no question of what happens to her, the home she lives in, the family that she has -nothing. She didn't die before the end of the movie. She should not have been conveniently "dropped off" the screen and "out of the mind" of moviegoers.

I still love the movie. Her character is poignant, tender, confident, and every bit the young girl she's supposed to be; and certainly lives on in my mind far beyond the cars of The Polar Express.
--2006-12-17

3 stars to an adult, probably 4 stars to a kid. Leadership lessons?
This DVD was playing sort of in the background at last year's big holiday multi-day family gathering, with a dozen or so children under 8 years visiting cousins. The movie did not get my undivided attention, therefore, although it did get played multiple times. It did keep kids (and me too) from getting restless during some down times. In future years, I think I will play it again during such visits.

One nice surprise was the way the movie pushed beyond stereotypes in a reasonably subtle way.

If I remember correctly (the memory is vague now), one of the themes for the child characters was recognizing one's strengths and learning to use them, and appreciating that other individuals have different types of gifts.

One of the main characters had the gift of leadership aptitude. As a child, I never gave leadership much thought -- how it works, etc. I'm glad the movie brought it forth, as something of importance. I didn't notice till years later, on the job, the important difference between a boss (or military officer) having the formal title and power to command people, versus a person who can lead -- who can inspire, motivate, and influence others even if he/she lacks a formal title. I don't know whether children viewing this movie will actually notice the subtle message that leadership is an important thing, since there is so much else going on in the movie that is more entertaining. But then again, young kids often watch the same DVD/video many times.
--2006-12-15

Yes, I Believe!!!
I may not believe in crop circles, but I sure do believe in Santa! I watched the Polar Express for the first time, and I fell in love with it! I had hesitated watching it because I happened to read a critic's take on the animation and the "lifeless eyes" of the characters, yadda yadda (what do critics know, anyway?). Finally, while channel chasing one evening, I caught up with this movie and found myself so totally absorbed with the story and the wonder of it that I was actively breathing a sigh of relief when the train made it over the frozen water, and gasping with wonder at the artists' take of Santa's City (so *that's* how they load Santa's sleigh). I even got teary-eyed during several of the scenes. Yes, this is a wonderful movie and a classic to have and watch during future Christmases!
--2006-12-15

- Warner Home Video