THE NORTH POLE OR BUST!

By: B -- 11/17/04

With all the technological advances in the world of cinema during my lifetime, it’s difficult to believe The Polar Express was my first film seen in 3-D (even though the technique’s been around for a while, I always assumed 3-D would be the standard by now). Even more jarring: the third dimension was absolutely necessary in saving this CGI film from the depths of forgettable holiday fluff.

The Polar Express is the name of the train that shows up outside one youngster’s house on Christmas Eve. The young boy is at a crossroads with his belief of Santa Claus, and this train is set on taking him and other wide-eyed youngsters to the North Pole to prove the existence of Saint Nick. What follows is a rollercoaster of a train ride (with about a half dozen blood-pumping saves from derailment), rewarded with the witnessing of the larger-than-life Santa. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and voiced mostly by Tom Hanks (he does five characters in all), The Polar Express is yet another holiday film loaded with style yet lacking in substance.

The main problem is the focus: the stressful trip north demands most of the time and all of the drama. The first two acts of the film contain scene after scene of reality-defying stunts. Though the visual aspects are enough to keep you in your seat, they say nothing about the spirit of Christmas. With a clearer focus, The Polar Express could have shown the true meaning of Christmas which, for children, hinges on a pure belief in the mythic Santa Claus. Sadly, I felt like I was watching a 3-D hybrid of a rollercoaster tour and the movie Speed.

That said, the realistic CGI work really is amazing. So much attention is given to landscape and detail; the extra effort made to depict alternate camera angles and mirrored shots are realistic and effective. Unfortunately, even with their $165 million budget, they couldn’t accurately depict a CGI human being. The children appear especially hollow and creepy, the glossy look in their eyes reminding me of robots.

The final act of The Polar Express is thankfully dedicated to the spirit of Christmas, but it’s a case of too little, too late (that, and one of the main tales of inspiration involves a child finally receiving gifts on Christmas, which is the opposite of what Christmas is supposed to be about, right?).

So even though The Polar Express sets itself apart from the others with its visual backflips, the storytelling is so sub par it ultimately falls short in its attempt at inspiration. The Polar Express is supposed to be a heartwarming tale of children valuing faith and learning the true spirit of Christmas. Even with the added dimension, it falls well short of legendary.

POP RATING: 7

CRITICAL RATING: 4

B'S RATING: 5.5

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