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Movie Review for Polar Express, The
Movie Review for
Polar Express, The
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Polar Express, The | | |
| Also known as: | |
128 Reviews total.
Release date: 11/10/2004
Run length: 100 mins.
Categories:
Action/Adventure
,
Kids/Family
,
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Summary:
A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting.He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear--the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, the boy is startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight--a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of his house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The boy rushes outside, clad only in his pajamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor who seems to be waiting just for him. "Well, are you coming?" the conductor inquires. "Where?" the boy asks. "Why, to the North Pole--of course. This is the Polar Express!" What unfolds is an an adventure which follows a doubting young boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Kevin Carr
of 7M Pictures (7/0)
The positives are more technological than character driven, which has been the problem that direc...
By
Rebecca Murray
of About.com (7/0)
Truth be told, there were a few scenes when it felt like this movie could have been more aptly de...
By
Mike McGranaghan
of Aisle Seat (7/0)
Its rich characters, spectacular visuals, and unbridled sense of awe and wonder make this the kin...
By
Dan Jardine
of Apollo Guide (7/0)
Unfortunately, the journey proves far more interesting than the destination.
By
Philip Martin
of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (7/0)
People will be polarized by this well-oiled machine of a family holiday vehicle.
By
Marc Savlov
of Austin Chronicle (7/0)
In a word, it's soulless.
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Stella Papamichael
of BBC (7/0)
Besides its dead-eyed cast, this 'animated' escapade is thrown off the tracks by pointless detour...
By
Ty Burr
of Boston Globe (7/0)
...there's only so far you can push a slender tale before it loses what made it special in the fi...
By
Rob Thomas
of Capital Times (Madison, WI) (7/0)
It's dazzling and enchanting, and will get everybody's holiday season off on the right foot. Bu m...
By
Roger Ebert
of Chicago Sun-Times (7/0)
There's a deeper, shivery tone, instead of the mindless jolliness of the usual Christmas movie.
By
David Sterritt
of Christian Science Monitor (7/0)
Many moviegoers may find its colors and effects delightful enough to make the experience a thrill...
By
Jeffrey Overstreet
of Christianity Today (7/0)
It's utterly sincere in its storytelling ... but [overuses shallow, vague, and sentimental] plati...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Jules Brenner
of Cinema Signals (7/0)
Designed to ensure good dreams for every viewer, it should be a Christmas standard from now until...
By
Joshua Tyler
of CinemaBlend.com (7/0)
The message is seasonally bright and works well enough as a throwaway holiday movie.
By
David Keyes
of Cinemaphile.org (7/0)
The Polar Express is the most expensive vanity project ever made.
By
David Keyes
of Cinemaphile.org (7/0)
The Polar Express is the most expensive vanity project ever made.
By
Luis Martinez
of Cinenganos (7/0)
Maravillosas secuencias ubérrimas de color y magia.
By
Mark Palermo
of Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) (7/0)
Promoting wonder and desire as an antidote for conformity (and an answer to life), Zemeckis deliv...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Jeffrey M. Anderson
of Combustible Celluloid (7/0)
Certain moments will amaze... but these new digital characters very often look stiff and spooky, ...
By
Harvey S. Karten
of Compuserve (7/0)
Beautifully evokes the aphorism that childhood is a magical time.
By
Matt Brunson
of Creative Loafing (7/0)
Many will hail this as a classic, but a better bet for seasonal cheer would be a screening of San...
By
Boo Allen
of Denton Record Chronicle (TX) (7/0)
The latest chapter in ground-breaking animation.
By
John J. Puccio
of DVDTown.com (7/0)
...might better be called The Bipolar Express, with so much that is sweet and light on the one ha...
By
Sean O'Connell
of E! Online (7/0)
...Zemeckis pours his efforts into the groundbreaking animation to create an expressive art form ...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
David Foucher
of EDGE Boston (7/0)
Technically dazzling, thematically rich, and filled to the brim with holiday warmth, “The Polar E...
By
Collin Souter
of eFilmCritic.com (7/0)
In terms of awesome spectacle, the movie delivers and should really be viewed as it was meant to ...
By
Dan Lybarger
of eFilmCritic.com (7/0)
Despite some technical pizzazz, this flick ends up leaving viewers as cold as the North Pole itse...
By
Erik Childress
of eFilmCritic.com (7/0)
The Polar Express is the grandest WOW experience I've had in this world of film since the origina...
By
Peter Sobczynski
of eFilmCritic.com (7/0)
Watching it is sort of like being slammed over the head for 105 minutes with a mallet made of mar...
By
Emanuel Levy
of EmanuelLevy.Com (7/0)
Unfortunately, Zemeckis has allowed his technical-savvy, circus-like movie to lose touch with its...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Ian Nathan
of Empire Magazine (7/0)
Cynics will sneeze in shock; children, young and old, will cuddle up and dream along.
By
Nicolas Lacroix
of EnPrimeur.ca (7/0)
Une somptueuse adaptation d’un livre pour enfants Chris Van Allsburg.
By
Eric D. Snider
of EricDSnider.com (7/0)
The stilted animation can't keep up with Hanks' effervescence. ... Besides, all the vivacity in t...
By
Eugene Novikov
of Film Blather (7/0)
Zemeckis is a pro, and the movie should be a hit. Just make sure your kids still believe you afte...
By
Shirley Sealy
of Film Journal International (7/0)
To help the viewer accept the creepily lifelike quality of the animated characters, the filmmaker...
By
Rory L. Aronsky
of Film Threat (7/0)
...the IMAX Corporation would do well to have this available every year in 3D. They have finally ...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Joe Utichi
of FilmFocus (7/0)
Sure, it's overly saccharine and desperately overblown, and the film loses momentum well before t...
By
Brian Orndorf
of FilmJerk.com (7/0)
Robert Zemeckis furthers his reputation as a groundbreaking filmmaker, guiding Express to charmin...
By
Edward Havens
of FilmJerk.com (7/0)
Destined to become a perennial holiday favorite with the young and young at heart.
By
Todd Gilchrist
of FilmStew.com (7/0)
The first spectacular surprise of this holiday season.
By
Eric Lurio
of Greenwich Village Gazette (7/0)
Some books aren’t meant to be made into movies. This is one of them.
By
Peter Canavese
of Groucho Reviews (7/0)
The film’s only fatal failing is its inability to make any of the characters seem real. Most of t...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Ross Anthony
of Hollywood Report Card (7/0)
The filmmakers shake up this Christmas scene snowy glass ball and, through the magic of 3-D, allo...
By
Duane Byrge
of Hollywood Reporter (7/0)
...the film is not sheer wizardry; it also has heart.
By
Jeff Otto
of IGN Movies (7/0)
Outstanding visual effects struggle to overwhelm a flawed film.
By
Steve Rhodes
of Internet Reviews (6/1)
A series of great special effects lost in search of a story ... fans of the book will be disappoi...
By
Jackie K. Cooper
of jackiekcooper.com (7/0)
Children will be enthralled but for adults the book is better.
By
Bob Bloom
of Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) (7/0)
And while this is a technological advancement, the system still needs improvement. The characters...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
David Kaplan
of Kaplan vs. Kaplan (7/0)
The Polar Express is a spectacular train ride from start to finish. The movie is much more than a...
By
Jeanne Kaplan
of Kaplan vs. Kaplan (7/0)
.......an unbelievable ride on a truly magical train. This is a film that must be seen on the big...
By
Andrea Chase
of Killer Movie Reviews (7/0)
a rich feast for the eye, the mind, and even the spirit . . .a glorious evocation of . . . child...
By
Robert Roten
of Laramie Movie Scope (7/0)
Artwork is beautiful, there are some good songs, but the characters lack expressiveness.
By
Anthony Del Valle
of Las Vegas Mercury (7/0)
It takes major issues of belief and loneliness and (implied) child abuse and turns them into a Ha...
By
Jon Niccum
of Lawrence Journal-World (7/0)
Anytime a movie is this dependent on new technology, it becomes a science fair exhibit for what w...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Mark Dujsik
of Mark Reviews Movies (7/0)
The world of the movie is the stuff of childhood fancy, but it never engages us in that transcend...
By
Martin Scribbs
of Mixed Reviews (7/0)
This praiseworthy film has been awarded highest honors from Puissant Guide and All-Fertile Giftgi...
By
Harvey S. Karten
of Modamag.com (7/0)
A major cinematic breakthrough.
By
Kevin N. Laforest
of Montreal Film Journal (7/0)
Absolutely gorgeous, like a storybook brought to life.
By
Ken Hanke
of Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (7/0)
My first response was that I had just seen the world's first Christmas horror movie.
By
Michael A. Smith
of Nolan's Pop Culture Review (7/0)
The Polar Express
'...Visually stunning!'
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Jeffrey Westhoff
of Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) (7/0)
Combine the dead eyes with the shiny skin and Polar Express becomes a Christmas pageant enacted b...
By
Frank Swietek
of One Guy's Opinion (7/0)
A singularly charmless technical exercise desperately trying to become a holiday classic.
By
Fiore Mastracci
of Outtakes With Fiore (7/0)
A nifty approach to kid's and fantasy movies.
By
Dennis Schwartz
of Ozus' World Movie Reviews (7/0)
A real snoozer.
By
Jeanne Aufmuth
of Palo Alto Weekly (7/0)
A charming meditation on the inherent cynicism of growing old.
By
Jon Popick
of Planet Sick-Boy (7/0)
The characters share the same creepy, dead-behind-the-eyes look of the robots in The Hall of Pres...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Cynthia Fuchs
of PopMatters (7/0)
Watch out, all you kids who don't believe in Santa. You will believe. Or else.
By
James Kendrick
of Q Network Film Desk (7/0)
a deeply confused Hollywood rendering of childhood innocence by way of computer-generated roller-...
By
Linda Cook
of Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) (7/0)
The Polar Express will shine its light for decades to come.
By
Timothy Knight
of Reel.com (7/0)
It's visually astonishing and mostly engaging, but ultimately lacks the one quality essential for...
By
Laura Clifford
of Reeling Reviews (7/0)
Its single best scene...comes courtesy of the vastly superior, similarly themed, thirty minute UK...
By
Robin Clifford
of Reeling Reviews (7/0)
The film falls short of present expectation.
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Diana Saenger
of ReelTalk Movie Reviews (7/0)
'The Polar Express' is a rare Christmas gift for all ages.
By
Sean Means
of Salt Lake Tribune (7/0)
It takes a funny pair of glasses to turn a mediocre Christmas tale into an eye-popping spectacle.
By
Larry Ratliff
of San Antonio Express-News (7/0)
No matter where you stand on the jolly guy in the red suit, believe this. The Polar Express is th...
By
Jean Lowerison
of San Diego Metropolitan (7/0)
The numerous kids in the audience responded with rapt attention and applause at the end, so it's ...
By
Mick LaSalle
of San Francisco Chronicle (7/0)
...the first film in a long time to capture that ineffable whatever it is that people hope to fin...
By
Sean McBride
of Sean the Movie Guy (7/0)
has good intentions, but doesn’t quite succeed because its animation style is a little too inadve...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
William Arnold
of Seattle Post-Intelligencer (7/0)
The trip is definitely an adventure, but its destination is kind of an overblown letdown.
By
Moira MacDonald
of Seattle Times (7/0)
Its heart is in the right place, and its bell should ring for many enchanted children in its audi...
By
Rich Cline
of Shadows on the Wall (7/0)
Frequently exciting, a little scary ... and rather sweet at times. Actually, it's mostly over-swe...
By
Ed Gonzalez
of Slant Magazine (7/0)
Polar Express's CGI effects are more frightening than endearing, another artificial composite of ...
By
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
of Spirituality and Practice (7/0)
A marvelous screen adaptation of the Chris Van Allsburg Christmas classic about one of the great ...
By
Rob Blackwelder
of SPLICEDWire (7/0)
Upon arriving at in the... North Pole, [the movie] becomes a behind-the-scenes adventure that cap...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Nick Rogers
of State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) (7/0)
Its storybook look and early energy is enthralling, but the end message is not so much that belie...
By
John Venable
of Supercala.com (7/0)
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler is an elf? How cool is that!?
By
Tony Toscano
of Talking Pictures (U.S.) (7/0)
A warm fuzzy for the holidays
By
Andrew Wright
of The Stranger (Seattle, WA) (7/0)
On Donner, on Blitzen, on Tron.
By
Dustin Putman
of TheMovieBoy.com (7/0)
An endlessly magical experience. One couldn't ask for a movie more pure and genuine. In a single ...
By
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
of TheMovieChicks.com (7/0)
The animation is beautiful to look at; it's drawn to enhance the magic of the story but the music...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Scott Nash
of Three Movie Buffs (7/0)
A Christmas Classic
By
Audrey Rock-Richardson
of Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah) (7/0)
With so many resources behind it, you’d think they could have come up with something truly specta...
By
Maitland McDonagh
of TV Guide's Movie Guide (7/0)
The film's tone alternates awkwardly between slightly haunted, bittersweet nostalgia for childhoo...
By
Jane Crowther
of ViewLondon (7/0)
Enchanting, if disconcerting, feel-good fare loaded with predictable, wholesome messages but cram...
By
Willie Waffle
of WaffleMovies.com (7/0)
Hanks pours it on with a heart-wrenching, tear-inducing, 4-boxes-of-tissues final narration that ...
By
Jeffrey Chen
of Window to the Movies (7/0)
Good work for the sake of good work -- it delivers something I'll readily admit is enjoyable, but...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Uri Lessing
of www.kcactive.com (7/0)
How many kids do you know who would find comfort in a homeless ghost who drinks his own sock juic...
By
John Beifuss
of Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (3/5) Login Required (Login Required)
This labor-intensive, high-tech, multimillion-dollar enterprise suffers in ironic contrast next t...
By
Manohla Dargis
of New York Times (3/5) Login Required (Login Required)
...a grave and disappointing failure, as much of imagination as of technology.
By
Fred Topel
of About.com (3/4) No reference
The Polar Express is like a CGI Under Siege 2 but with less heart. At least Under Siege 2 had the...
By
John Wirt
of Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA) (3/4) No reference
Modeled upon real actors though the movie's characters are, they lack the communicative power of ...
By
Christopher Smith
of Bangor Daily News (Maine) (6/1) No reference
More like Night of the Living Dead.
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Kim Williamson
of Boxoffice Magazine (3/4) No reference
Once one looks away from the people to gaze at the gorgeous landscapes and fabulous objects, one ...
By
Pablo Villaca
of Cinema em Cena (3/4) No reference
Tem imenso potencial para se tornar um daqueles clássicos obrigatórios nas festas de fim de ano.
By
Mary F. Pols
of Contra Costa Times (3/4) No reference
The source material has been broadened with great respect and tenderness, while the illustrations...
By
Jeff Vice
of Deseret News, Salt Lake City (6/1) No reference
Lacks the warmth or edginess that it so desperately needs.
By
Michelle Alexandria
of Eclipse Magazine (3/4) No reference
Now it can be said, Santa Claus is a fascist dictator who likes to kidnap and endanger children s...
By
Bruce Kirkland
of Jam! Movies (3/4) No reference
The Polar Express really is whimsy itself, in its most glorious, pure state.
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Louis B. Hobson
of Jam! Movies (3/4) No reference
Accept the process Zemeckis and Hanks have chosen and the journey they take you on is wondrous.
By
James Sanford
of Kalamazoo Gazette (6/1) No reference
the heart of the material remains uncorrupted. ...But the true genius of the filmmakers' achievem...
By
Ella Taylor
of L.A. Weekly (3/4) No reference
Another powerful children's story dulled into mediocrity by the worship of technology.
By
Glenn Whipp
of Los Angeles Daily News (3/4) No reference
Anyone older than, say, 10, might have trouble hearing the Christmas bells. That doesn't make you...
By
Nell Minow
of Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies (6/1) No reference
There are moments of great beauty, especially the vertiginous ride as we watch a golden train tic...
By
Michael Elliott
of Movie Parables (6/1) No reference
Both the story and the telling of it have a timeless feel that will... delight generations of fam...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Sean O'Connell
of MovieWeb (3/4) No reference
Zemeckis would rather perfect the breathtaking journey of a lost train ticket than craft an accur...
By
Luke Y. Thompson
of New Times (6/1) No reference
If you have a chance to see the 3-D IMAX version of the movie, ignore any objections.
By
Meghan Lehmann
of New York Post (3/4) No reference
...magical in a way that will enchant kids and give older viewers a twinge of nostalgia.
By
Shawn Levy
of Oregonian (3/4) No reference
It's a kind, gentle and sweet holiday confection.
By
Jay Boyar
of Orlando Sentinel (3/4) No reference
Climb on and you'll experience one of the great joys of moviegoing: seeing something that's like ...
By
Violet Carberry
of Orlando Weekly (3/4) No reference
Seeing it may not become an annual tradition, but the children in your life will still be happy t...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
Bob Grimm
of Reno News and Review (6/1) No reference
Frankly put, this film does not look good. It creates a bizarre, ugly world where everything seem...
By
Joe Baltake
of Sacramento Bee (6/1) No reference
It's too mechanical in its perfection and too driven and premeditated in its attempts to impress ...
By
Laura Kelly
of South Florida Sun-Sentinel (3/4) No reference
Despite the lack of human warmth, this thrill ride is indeed thrilling -- and probably even more ...
By
Josh Larsen
of Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (3/4) No reference
As a general rule, I like to keep my Christmas fables Steven Tyler-free.
By
Josh Larsen
of Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (3/4) No reference
As a general rule, I like to keep my Christmas fables Steven Tyler-free.
By
Lawrence Toppman
of Charlotte Observer (6/1) Not Reachable
While the 29 pages of [Van Allsburg's] mini-classic would have made a superb half-hour TV special...
Reviews of Polar Express, The
By
James Berardinelli
of ReelViews (3/4) Not Reachable
The Polar Express is cinematic magic - a delightful tale guaranteed to enthrall viewers of al...
By
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
of St. Paul Pioneer Press (3/4) Not Reachable
For a book with no characters or plot, The Polar Express makes a surprisingly smooth transition t...
Movie Distributors
Warner Bros. Pictures International Production Companies
Playtone
Golden Mean Productions
Shangri-La Entertainment
Castle Rock Entertainment
ImageMovers Movie Studios
Warner Bros. Pictures
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