The Polar ExpressFor those who celebrate the commercialized interpretation of Christmas, Santa Claus represents a reward for innocence. And yet, as children become adults, that belief in the jolly gift giver who makes his home in the North Pole fades like melting snow. What does that say of innocence and our faith in what Santa Claus represents? The Polar Express is an animated film about a train--The Polar Express--which appears to children on Christmas Eve and transports them (through arguably a perilous trek) to the North Pole to witness Santa embarking on his annual gift-giving pilgrimage, but not before he gives the first gift of the year to a very special child.
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The Polar Express was made in 2004, and is perhaps best known for being the first full-length feature film where the characters were animated via motion capture computer technology. It was adapted by Robert Zemeckis from the book of the same name, written in 1985 by Chris Van Allsburg. It was optioned by actor and star, Tom Hanks, as early as 1999, and became a kind of passion project; Hanks performs five different roles in the movie. At the time of its release--and even today, to be honest--the movie was a technical marvel. Capitalizing on this, the film features a number of kinetic action set pieces. And since the train is on rails (of course), The Polar Express also takes the opportunity to simulate numerous roller coaster-esque moments. Combine this with a release that was featured on gigantic IMAX screens, and it's difficult to deny that the movie isn't just a Christmas tale, but a visual experience as well. For a train ride that ostensibly goes to and from the North Pole every year, you'd think that the path would be clear of obstacles. Oh no, dear viewers...there are obstacles aplenty, which justify the tense action scenes that follow. In fact, I would dare say that the nail-biting level of anxiety that such perilous moments contained in The Polar Express represent might just make it a little too intense for very young children. (Of course kids of an age to match the protagonist will no doubt think that this is the coolest thing ever...if they manage to see it on a sufficiently large screen to utterly absorb their field of vision...or with one of those virtual reality helmets, or something, I suppose.) There are tickets that fly out the window, and the camera tracks its movement throughout the frozen tundra, as it's swooped up by birds, all before magically (and it is probably magic) returning to the train. There is a swathe of ice that covers the tracks that...somehow traverse a lake, forcing the train to jackknife (can trains jackknife?) across the ice. And there is, of course, the gift production chute, which looks like the most scrambled slide ever made, funneling the wayward kids into Santa's massive gift bag. All of these moments are intended to get "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience, as though they were witness to an elaborate fireworks display.
The implication of the train arriving at the young protagonist's house on Christmas Eve while the rest of the family is asleep is that he is facing a "crisis of faith", in Santa Claus that is. Prior to this, he has a literal file on Kris Kringle, containing research presumably trying to prove the jolly Saint Nick's existence, which he peruses by flashlight. So the young boy who we follow isn't a cynical Ebenezer Scrooge, but a youth who is at a turning point. I suppose that such a situation could be applied to any kind of true crisis of faith. Belief in Santa Claus has always been one of those things that losing it is something of a rite of passage, alongside other such things. And yet parents perpetuate the existence of Santa, not because they believe, but because of what that idea represents for children, namely generosity and staying well-behaved. These are good values for anyone at any age, so the idea must be that instilling these virtues through a fabricated personality (i.e. Santa) helps make these ideas more authentic, and helps children fight off baser impulses to be greedy or monstrous. Of course, there is the commercial aspect, which is inescapable in The Polar Express. No, there isn't any product placement--or at least, I didn't notice any--but the ultimate goal for the children yet remains the acquisition of material goods--the present with a bow on it. This is not new nor exclusive to The Polar Express, but it does make it hard to resist the sensation that all of the peril and danger which the kids face en route to meet Santa is done solely to get something out of it. Maybe I'm overthinking this part, but I think that the story would have had more resonance if the kids felt like more than just stereotypes of generic kids. Heck, they don't even get names. The main character is credited as "Hero Boy" (Daryl Sabara), and he meets a strong-willed young girl who is credited as "Hero Girl" (Nona Gaye). Hero Boy helps make sure that the train stops for a poor kid who trips while trying to board the train, and that kid is credited as...Billy the Lonely Boy (Peter Scolari--yes, that Peter Scolari). And there's even an annoying kid who is a know-it-all, credited as...you guessed it..."Know-it-all" (Eddie Deezen). So the kids are really just ciphers for the younger members of the audience to project onto, and aren't real characters at all. But so long as you are comfortable with a movie that places its emphasis on spectacle over depth, The Polar Express is a simple yet exciting movie that you can enjoy.
Recommended for: Fans of a visually delightful yet narratively shallow Christmas movie. But don't let that deter you from seeing The Polar Express; just check your expectations and realize that what you're watching may very well have actually been intended to be a roller coaster ride at one point.
The implication of the train arriving at the young protagonist's house on Christmas Eve while the rest of the family is asleep is that he is facing a "crisis of faith", in Santa Claus that is. Prior to this, he has a literal file on Kris Kringle, containing research presumably trying to prove the jolly Saint Nick's existence, which he peruses by flashlight. So the young boy who we follow isn't a cynical Ebenezer Scrooge, but a youth who is at a turning point. I suppose that such a situation could be applied to any kind of true crisis of faith. Belief in Santa Claus has always been one of those things that losing it is something of a rite of passage, alongside other such things. And yet parents perpetuate the existence of Santa, not because they believe, but because of what that idea represents for children, namely generosity and staying well-behaved. These are good values for anyone at any age, so the idea must be that instilling these virtues through a fabricated personality (i.e. Santa) helps make these ideas more authentic, and helps children fight off baser impulses to be greedy or monstrous. Of course, there is the commercial aspect, which is inescapable in The Polar Express. No, there isn't any product placement--or at least, I didn't notice any--but the ultimate goal for the children yet remains the acquisition of material goods--the present with a bow on it. This is not new nor exclusive to The Polar Express, but it does make it hard to resist the sensation that all of the peril and danger which the kids face en route to meet Santa is done solely to get something out of it. Maybe I'm overthinking this part, but I think that the story would have had more resonance if the kids felt like more than just stereotypes of generic kids. Heck, they don't even get names. The main character is credited as "Hero Boy" (Daryl Sabara), and he meets a strong-willed young girl who is credited as "Hero Girl" (Nona Gaye). Hero Boy helps make sure that the train stops for a poor kid who trips while trying to board the train, and that kid is credited as...Billy the Lonely Boy (Peter Scolari--yes, that Peter Scolari). And there's even an annoying kid who is a know-it-all, credited as...you guessed it..."Know-it-all" (Eddie Deezen). So the kids are really just ciphers for the younger members of the audience to project onto, and aren't real characters at all. But so long as you are comfortable with a movie that places its emphasis on spectacle over depth, The Polar Express is a simple yet exciting movie that you can enjoy.
Recommended for: Fans of a visually delightful yet narratively shallow Christmas movie. But don't let that deter you from seeing The Polar Express; just check your expectations and realize that what you're watching may very well have actually been intended to be a roller coaster ride at one point.