Today’s quick review: The Polar Express. On Christmas Eve, a boy (Daryl Sabara) who’s beginning to doubt the existence of Santa Claus gets invited to ride the Polar Express, a magical train that’s bound for the North Pole. Under the watchful guidance of the Conductor (Tom Hanks), the boy and his new friends (Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen) embark on a journey full of wonder and adventure as they race to reach the North Pole on time.
The Polar Express is a family animated Christmas adventure based on the picture book of the same name. Tom Hanks stars in a variety of roles in a story about a young boy who rediscovers the spirit of Christmas. The Polar Express is an imaginative adventure with a gorgeous art style, innovative CGI, and a surprising amount of action. The movie puts its own spin on classic Christmas fantasy, resulting in a fun but insubstantial watch.
The Polar Express has solid craftsmanship in general, but it often feels contrived. The premise works well enough on paper, but spinning it into a full-length story takes some doing. The Polar Express uses a few different techniques to flesh out the plot and pad its run time: subplots for the boy’s friends, over-the-top action sequences, and the odd musical number. But although these diversions are entertaining, none of them feel essential.
Give The Polar Express a shot when you’re in the mood for a Christmas movie with plenty of spectacle. The exaggerated nature of its world and story will appeal more to younger audiences than older ones, and there are places where the movie is transparent about stalling for time. But even with these flaws, The Polar Express is a light movie with a wholesome story and impressive art, making it a solid pick for lenient viewers.
For a modern Christmas adventure in the same vein, try The Christmas Chronicles. For an animated fantasy adventure with a similar premise, try Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. For a more dramatic family adventure that uses a similar style of CGI, try The Adventures of Tintin. For an uneven animated fantasy adventure about a boy on a similar journey, try The Pagemaster.
[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338348/). I give it a 7.0 for a charming story and lavish visuals.