Should become a holiday classic

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2005)

A simple story . . . beautifully told . . . magnificently visualized.
The IMAX experience was stunning.
I did not expect to enjoy the story as much as I did. Simple but quite heartwarming.
Although it started a bit slow, it continued to gain momentum (no train analogy intended) through its conclusion. I was not a great lover of the animation of the human characters, but the other animation, whether it be the train, the scenery, the reindeer, or the elves (are elves human?) was quite well done.
Perhaps the best review I can provide is that after I watched the Polar Express, I just felt happier.