A non-obnoxious and sober family movie.

Rating: 7/10 (5 December 2004)

I'm sick of arrogant animated movies that force us into thinking they're great even though they're classless exercises in poor taste and franchise milking. Recent examples include Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and, worst of all, Shark Tale.
Dreamworks seems to be the worst among all this. Their basic logic is 'Let's see what Pixar is doing and copy that'. Come on! Pixar gave us A Bugs Life so Dreamworks gave us Antz. Pixar do Finding Nemo so Dreamworks do Shark Tale. Pixar do Monsters Inc so Dreamworks do Shrek (which turned out to be quite good). But that's beside the point. There are 2 main concerns for all studios involved in making computer animated movies. The first is to make each more realistic looking than the last. I don't care about this. I don't care how fancy the computer you made the film on is. I don't care how long you spent making it.
How about some actual story or dignity? None of these films have that. Sure they have some moronical done-to-death a thousand times before messages that masquerade as a stories and can easily fool a 3 year old but the one thing they all have in common is tastelessness.
The second concern is the merchandising. Where the REAL money from the movie is made! I would like to say the Polar Express is different but I dread the forthcoming Polar Express toys, books, pyjamas, monopoly set, happy meal/kids club meal, rucksack, video games, legal forms, stationary sets, airships, warheads...Christ almighty in 1987 Mel Brooks was only kidding when he mentioned the Spaceballs Flamethrower (a fave with the kids) but merchandising really is going this far. Too far.
If Warner can resist this temptation with The Polar Express it will give the film an everlasting integrity that immediately ranks it higher than all the other aforementioned movies.
The film itself is good, if not great. It borrows heavily from Kenji Mayizawa's Night on the Galactic Railroad in regards to the constant quietness and sense of mystery (oh and the big magical train that comes out of nowhere). My only problem is with the awkward boy the story focuses on. Yes, I know he's only a computer animation but he is extremely ugly and has an inhumanly awful, constantly blank expression.
He's becoming a bit of Scrooge/Grinch. He doesn't believe in Xmas anymore and is even trying to convince his little sister of the physical impossibilities of Santa being real. As he tries to sleep Xmas Eve away a massive steam trains parks outside his house. It's the Polar Express and its final destination is Santa's Workshop.
The train is filled with other kids (the reasons for them being there are never defined) and led by a wise old conductor (Tom Hanks in one of many roles) who is determined to restore the boy's faith in Xmas.
Robert Zemeckis' direction is mature and well-paced. There is particular attention to the sound design and narrative that no other recent animated movie has. Sound design is not all about chucking in loads of bass, a loud score and zany sound effects as a story is not just an excuse for events in the film to happen. This is something Zemeckis understands and he floods the film with warm colors, atmospheric landscapes and sense of magic that very nearly comes together but does not fully gel.
There's something missing in The Polar Express that I can't put my finger on. Even Alan Silvestri's wonderful, lively and enchanting score falls a couple of notches short of brilliance. It's one of his best but it's just missing...something. Still it's far better than any other Xmas movie for the past 10 years (Bad Santa not included).
Puh-lease Warner, don't sell out this film. I don't want a Polar Express toilet seat. Let this film transcend the common stock. It's already one of those special Xmas movies that you can watch every year and I'll surely buy the DVD when it comes out. But I won't buy the toilet seat.
An important animated movie for sensible grown-ups and well-behaved kids. Braindead adults and hyperactive brats can go see the Incredibles. Keep them away from Polar Express, they won't enjoy.