Polar Express is more incredible than 'The Incredibles'

Rating: 10/10 (15 November 2004)

I must admit I had low expectations as I walked into the theater to see Polar Express. I had seen 'The Incredibles' just a short time earlier, and was amazed at how good that film was, perhaps the best film of 2004. I did not think Polar Express or any other movie could possibly top it.
I was wrong. Polar Express may be the best movie of 2004, so far
When creating a film from an incredibly popular and well-know book like Chris Van Allsburg's 'Polar Express,' I had wrongly believed that the Hollywood types could only screw it up, make it boring, and fill it with lots of Jerry Bruckeimer-type special effects that would only distract us from the wonderful story. Again, I was wrong.
The film 'Polar Express' does an absolutely wonderful job of capturing the two best aspects of Van Allsburg's book: the artwork and the message.
The computer techniques used to tell this story are, by far, the best use of computer animation I've ever seen. Nothing that Disney or Pixar has done even comes close. The look and feel of Van Allsburg's wonderful artwork is completely intact, and in some ways, even exceeded. It's like watching a beautiful oil painting come to life. The film, if nothing else, is an absolute feast for the eyes, I was completely in awe from the opening minutes to the closing credits. I truly did not want to watch this banquet of beauty and light to end.
But of course there's more to a movie than visualization, and the simple, but powerful tale of a boy out-growing the need to believe in Santa Claus is very well done. In the book 'Polar Express,' the boy-hero very much still believes in Santa when the train shows up in front of his house. In the movie version, we see a young boy who's begun to seriously doubt the Santa stuff. The change is a good one, in that most of the audience, especially the adults, will be able to relate to this change in perspective about Santa Claus that comes with the coming of age. The visit of the train to this boy's house is more than just the start of an adventure, it is the beginning of a mission of redemption, even if that redemption is only one's faith in a Jolly Old Man.
But that's why 'Polar Express,' first in book form and now a motion picture, works so very well. It' not really a story about Santa Claus at all, but about faith. The film drives home this message in a more heavy-handed way than the book does, but still without the preaching and condemnation that often comes from other Hollywood films that attempt to re-educate their audience.
Polar Express works on a much, much deeper emotional and spiritual level than does 'The Incredibles,' and will fit in very well with those other Christmas classics that are really parables about faith, like 'The Miracle on 34th Street,' and 'It's A Wonderful Life.' And to a lesser extent, even 'A Christmas Story.'
My seven-year old daughter, who saw both films with me, gave 'The Incredibles' a score of 9 out of 10. As we were walking out of the theater, I asked her if she liked 'Polar Express.' She told me 'Yes, I give it an eleven!'
My review of 'Polar Express' is of the 2-D version that will be seen on most screens. I have every intention of going to see it again, but this time making use of the IMAX 3-D version. Roger Ebert (film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times) saw the film this way, and said it was the best 3-D experience he's ever had.
I so wish the Polar Express would stop in front of my house this Christmas Eve.
My rating: 11 out of 10.