Seeker

As for "lonely boy" - I was disappointed that when he got home, his dark house suddenly had a Christmas tree and the PRESENT. Miracle via Santa I guess.

I would rather have it that he got home, things were still dark, and "Hero Boy" and "Hero Girl" truly got to fulfill what Christmas was about - i.e. THEY showed they were friends and helped make Christmas real.

Of course, that would have been too complex for this film, but THAT'S what Christmas is really all about... to me.

jaeufraser

I really enjoyed this film. I hear some complaing about lacking character development, I don't really agree. This film has a kind of magical atmosphere to it, sort of independant of reality and in a somewhat imaginative landscape. The last thing it needed was explanations of realistic detail. The seemingly simple dialogue and background stories work, giving it a simplistic storybook feel. Sure, they could've explored his family life, but it worked much better leaving reality out of it, and leaving parents to be hulking shoulders you don't really see.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. it's sweet, without being sappy, and overall a fun movie and absolutely beautiful to look at. I saw it in 3D, and recommend that way if you have the chance. The animation too is quite good. The not quite real but very close look of the film suits it well I think, giving it that dreamy feel. Never was a I creeped out by the kids, though hero boy was definately done the best imo. Sometimes they looked off, but in general it look great.

Anyway, good movie all around, and looks great in 3D.

Giles

well... since I would have liked to experience this film in IMAX 3D, (I saw a DLP presentation of the film instead). I have to say I was very unimpressed on the whole, since there was so much padding and over excessive action, I got the sense why didn't the filmmakers just film as this as an IMAX film in the first place a quick fifty minute or so film. Instead we get an overblown OTT "Raiders of the Polar Express" action flick that leaves the viewer more visually assaulted then a "Christmas message" film. Add to the mixture, a bland unmemorable song, gift giving is the single reason why Christmas should and does exist, Tom Hanks five vanity project "roles" and creepy looking elves - it just didn't gel right. Aside from the stunning animation (although some of the human rendering is a tad flawed), the "flying ticket" scene is definately worth the price of admission to witness this incredible sequence.

Steve Phillips

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The story held my attention throughout.

While I'm a big 3-D fan, most IMAX 3-D movies have been flawed to some degree. POLAR EXPRESS is flawless; there isn't a single shot in the movie which caused eyestrain. The depth added immensely to the film----I can't imagine seeing this on the smaller, flat screen.

If they did this well with the first IMAX 3-D feature film; I'm hoping to see really great stuff in the future.

Dr. DVD

I have not seen this movie yet, but am planning to see it this coming weekend when I will be in a city with an IMAX theater.

From what I have read, this is a movie that despite its large price tag, should have only been done in the IMAX 3-D format, as the reviews for that version seem to glow over the regular version.

Get Me Coffee

hmmmmm it's a childrens book that was very sugar-sweet with the art work....so the movie shouldn't be? Errrr....

The CG work was aimed to look like the art work from the book.

jaeufraser

Funny thing is this movie was not made for Imax 3D at all. It was only last April that such a decision was made.

In truth, I would love for more of these CG animated movies to be made for Imax 3D. The digital process is what made the transition for The Polar Express possible. Can you imagine say...The Incredibles in 3D? I'd love to see that.

Steve Phillips

They had planned to do an IMAX 3-D release of the original SHREK film (not the SHREK 3-D/4-D short) and much work was completed before they decided the cost was too high.

I am sure we'll see more real 3-D versions of some of this CGI animated stuff going forward.

Dr. DVD

The Incredibles in IMAX 3-D would be, well, Incredible!!!

caligulathegod

Darn, my local IMAX theater just converted the screen to a regular 35mm screen and got rid of all the IMAX just a few weeks ago. Too bad they couldn't have waited until this had played. Now, I'll have to drive 100 miles to Cincinnati to see it on IMAX.

Ky-Fi

That's how I feel after I've seen it. For me, it did seem to constantly veer back and forth between subtley cold and weird, and schmaltzy. I didn't really have a problem with the way the kids looked, but other things, like the vaguely sinister hobo character, the weird train crew guys, the slightly orc-ish elves, the oddly deserted and unfestive North Pole city (yeah I know, the elves were all together and busy working)---all this stuff just didn't gel for me. And I really felt the sugary, melodramatic musical score was trying to desperately project emotions that the story, performances and visuals were NOT successfully conveying, IMO. I don't know, the whole movie had an odd and detached feel to me---the little kid in me that loves Christmas would not want to get on that train, and would not want to go to that North Pole.