An entertaining and very enjoyable movie I'm sure my kids will enjoy one day.

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2008)

"The Polar Express" is a great accomplishment for Castle Rock and the Warner Bros. The animation and detail is incredible, the sound is perfect, and all the characters are realistic and believable (excepting, of course, Santa himself). My favorite character was the Hobo on the roof of the train - he was very funny and strange, and Tom Hanks was perfect for his voice. The soundtrack is beautiful and fits the story very well.
As for the plot - Sure, they added a few characters and events to make it a better movie, but it really adds to the quality. The book is a classic, and this film honors it rather than ravaging it.
The only reason I give it 9/10 rather than 10/10, is the know-it-all boy on the train. Everything about him is irritating, especially his voice, which sounds like it came out of South Park (one of the worst TV shows ever made), and doesn't even remotely sound like a child. And the worst part about him: he just won't shut up.
Other than that, this movie is absolutely fantastic!! I recommend it to everyone.