The Polar Express Movie Review

The Polar Express (2004)

Rent The Polar Express on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Chris Van Allsburg (book), Robert Zemeckis & William Broyles Jr. (screenplay)
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara
Rated: G
Watch the trailer

Plot
On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.

Verdict
The premise is typical; a child that doesn't believe in Santa. From there he goes on a surreal adventure that rekindles his belief. I love the ending, a bittersweet acknowledgement that most people lose the magic as they grow up. The problem is that I have to sit through an overlong story that's repetitious in trying to develop the characters That doesn't even account for the dead eyed humans portrayed by CGI. This movie is cashing in on the nostalgia for the book.
It depends.

Review
I've read the book though it's been a long time. I've seen this movie, but that's also been quite a while ago, but I'm willing to bet the brevity of the book is a benefit.

An unnamed boy doubts Santa Clause is real. That's when a mysterious train arrives, bound for the North Pole. The boy is welcomed aboard. The train ride is a magical and surreal adventure, a he joins other children and enjoys hot chocolate on the way.

Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara play Conductor, the boy

These CGI characters have no warmth due to their dead, soulless eyes. This tries to make them look realistic, but they're not as simple and expressive as a cartoon and not natural enough to be realistic as this ascribes to be. It's uncanny and not flattering.

The boy experiences all kinds of adventures; a trek on the roof of the train with a hitch hiker, entering the engine car, and then encountering caribou that stop the train. All of this, and he wonders if he's in some kind of dream. Surely this can't be real, but he makes friends and eventually arrives at the North Pole though he takes an alternate route.

Daryl Sabara plasy the boy

At the North Pole with a bell from Santa's sleigh he begins to believe again. The best part of the story, and what really makes it memorable, is at the end Santa gifts him the bell. Only those that believe can hear it ring. The boy and his sister hear it, but his parents can't. Eventually his friends and sister can no longer hear it. But the boy, even as an adult, can hear it ring because he still believes. That conclusion captures the magic of the season and a succinct reason why many stop believing in Santa. Some grow up and forget, but others hold on to the spirit of the holiday.

It's a great story that's better as a book than movie. The book is illustrated and thirty-some pages. The movie adds character to fill the one-hundred minute runtime.