By Kaylanii Albert – Staff Reporter

“The Polar Express” is a 2004 animated film that is based off of a 1985 children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. The movie was directed by Robert Zemeckis who is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. The Polar Express was the first movie ever to be filmed entirely with motion capture technology. It holds the Guinness World Record as the first all-motion capture film. The train in the movie is modeled after the Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive, located in Owosso, Michigan.

“The Polar Express” is about a boy who questions whether he thinks Santa Claus is real or not. On Christmas Eve he boards a magical train going to the North Pole that appears outside of his house. Along the way he meets other children and they go on an adventure together to the North Pole. It challenges their beliefs and shifts their thinking of Santa Claus by the end of their trip. It explores the themes of wonder, faith, and the magic of Christmas.

The Polar Express has a very strong and interesting plot carried throughout the movie and is very well-written. For being the first movie to be entirely filmed with motion capture technology, it was very well animated. A majority of the people who watched the “Polar Express” love it and rewatch it every year for the holidays. It’s so interesting and really gets people into the holiday spirit in time for Christmas. It’s perfect for any age and some may even argue, is the best Christmas movie ever.

A few downsides is that some scenes can be a bit stiff, especially with facial expressions that don’t look exactly natural. The pacing is slow in certain scenes, which make it hard for younger kids to stay focused on the movie. The characters seem like they aren’t deeply developed in a way, so it gets tough to connect with them emotionally. The movie also has somewhat a dark tone at times, which gets unsettling for younger kids. Lastly, the ending leaves some viewers unsure whether the adventure was real or just a dream.

“The Polar Express” is a great Christmas movie fit for all ages with an interesting plot, but there are some flaws. There is always room to improve even for a great movie like “The Polar Express.”

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Edited by – TM